Sparkle By Feel
by stardust472
Summary: When Chat disappears after a battle, Ladybug is devastated. Believing him dead, she attempts to continue on alone. Meanwhile, a young man with no memories tries to make his way in the world, but something keeps drawing him to the super heroine in red, whose powers have dwindled in the aftermath of Chat's disappearance. A story about unconditional love, joy, and true identity.
1. Chapter 1

"Ladybug! On your right!" Chat Noir's voice rang out from the distance.

Ladybug jumped out of the way just as one of the akuma's giant tentacles descended, missing her by inches. Today's specimen, a giant cephalopod reminiscent of a kraken, had appeared in the Seine in the middle of the morning commute. Ladybug sighed. She had hoped she would make it to class on time today, but now it sort of looked like she'd be lucky to make it to her morning class at all.

They'd been battling multiple akumas daily for almost two weeks. The strain of all the fighting and trying to keep on top of her busy school schedule was getting to her. She knew her partner was stressed, too, maybe even more so than herself. He hadn't had the energy to make a joke at all this whole week. His movements were sluggish, his appearance a little more rugged and unkempt, and he was less focused than usual. They _both_ were less focused than usual.

It didn't help that, for some reason, this particular giant creature seemed to be spewing cannonballs at random intervals, like something from a strange video game. As if the huge tentacles weren't enough…

All at once, she saw something glint on one of the kraken's tentacles. It was likely the akumatized object they'd been looking for.

_Great,_ she thought. _ How do we get _that_? _ The shiny object was stuck inside one of the giant suckers. _Hopefully we can figure it out with a little luck, _she thought. "Lucky Charm!" She called out, a red and black-spotted tube of tennis balls. Looking around with her lucky vision, she quickly made a plan.

Several things happened at once. Ladybug pulled out a tennis ball and launched it at the item holding the akuma, dislodging it from the victim's tentacle; Ladybug caught the ball and threw it, intoning "Miraculous Ladybug"; the victim spit a cannonball at Ladybug, who was knocked out of the way by Chat just as she caught and purified the akuma, which had burst from the object- a silver bracelet with sea creature charms- as it hit the ground; and the cannonball exploded with a BANG and a rush of fire.

Later, Ladybug would not be able to recall in what order all these things happened, or how she was somehow able to get out of the whole mess alive. All she knew for sure was that when she sat up, the akuma was gone, the victim was safe, her ears were ringing painfully, and right where she had been standing just moments before lay a large pile of ash and the ring of the Black Cat Miraculous. Chat Noir was nowhere to be found.

* * *

_No. NO! It couldn't be…_

"Chat! Chat Noir!" Ladybug was kneeling next to the pile of ash, looking around. She was hoping, praying, that he would answer her. But no answer came. Tears came unbidden to her eyes and ran down her cheeks as she picked up the shiny black ring bearing Chat's signature lime green paw print, slipping it into her yo-yo for safe keeping. She couldn't bear to put it on, not when her partner….

_No! Don't think like that! _She scolded herself. _You'll find him! You _have _to find him!_

Just as she was getting to her feet, intent on searching the area, her earrings chirped a warning. She only had a minute left before her transformation wore off. _That won't be enough time_, she thought angrily. _But he's more important! I have to…_

"Ladybug!" A female voice called out. She looked around to see Alya racing towards her. "Ladybug! What happened to Chat Noir? We saw him standing there one minute, and then the next…gone!"

Ladybug struggled to keep herself together. It wouldn't do to break down in front of all of Paris. "I… I…I'm sorry, excuse me," she said, pushing past Alya and the growing crowd of people, jumping off into the rooftops.

* * *

Ladybug swung back into her apartment and collapsed onto her bed, taking out Chat's ring as she did so. Maybe she could question Plagg, she thought, releasing her transformation and slipping the ring onto her finger with shaking hands. It was heavy, heavier than she'd remembered. But then again, maybe it was just that the ring seemed to carry the heaviness of her feelings with it now.

For the first time since the end of the battle, she let her feelings wash over her. Her pain and guilt was nearly overwhelming. Why had she let herself be so distracted? Why would Chat take that hit for her? She should've been more aware! Was he alright? She didn't even know him without his Chat suit- he could be dead or alive and she wouldn't even know! At this thought, the tears reappeared, making their way unheeded down her face as she curled up into a ball cuddling her giant Chat pillow. Her sobs sounded throughout the room.

She dimly noticed Tikki and Plagg looking on, but didn't engage with them.

It was one thing to fail at being a hero, but right now, she felt much worse about her failures as a friend. She should have trusted Chat with her identity long ago; at least, if she had, she'd be able to know if her partner was alive right now or not.

"Marinette," Tikki was trying to get her attention. "Marinette, are you alright?"

Marinette shook her head, tears still falling thick and fast. "Why, Tikki? Why would he do that?" She wailed.

Plagg was the one that answered her. "Because he loved you, Spots," he said sadly, looking away. "…" Plagg bubbled as he tried to say his holder's name, then sighed in frustration. "_He _always loved you, from that very first day. He reserved his flirting and his jokes only for you. It was his way of letting you see his true self. Goodness knows he didn't get to show it very often…" he said, sounding pained as he thought of his kitten.

Marinette looked at him. "'Loved'? As in…past tense? You…you don't mean…"

Plagg shook his head. "I don't know much more than you do, Spots," he replied. "I know he invoked his Cataclysm just before the explosion, but I don't know anything else. He could have saved himself and just had his ring blown off his finger in the confusion…or he could have been the pile of ash on the ground. There's just no way to know."

Marinette's sobs resumed. It wasn't fair! It shouldn't have been him! It was all her fault…

"Tikki, I can't do this anymore," she said quietly once her crying had died down somewhat. "I can't do this without my Kitty! He…he was the only one who saw all my failures and didn't judge me. He was the one who believed in me when I couldn't believe in myself! And I…I let him down! And now he's g-go… missing!"

She burst into tears again. Plagg attempted to calm her, nuzzling into her cheek and purring in her ear, but she just cried harder as a thousand memories of Chat Noir came flooding through her mind at the sound.

* * *

_He was encouraging her even as she was about to give up, that first day with Stoneheart._

_He handed her a rose as they walked; she tossed it away, focused on their mission. Hurt flashed through his eyes, but he covered for it well, brushing it off as though nothing had happened._

_He wrapped his arms around her, glad she was ok after a battle where he'd thought her lost forever. He was nearly crying as he embraced her tightly. She felt safe and cared for as she hugged him back._

_He made a silly joke at the wrong time, getting himself tossed across the city by an akuma as a result. She caught him in her yo-yo string before he hit the ground, then teased him for not paying attention. He just smiled at her sheepishly in apology._

_He tried to kiss her, but she just poked his nose and sauntered away._

_He was sitting cockily on a lamppost in his "cat pose", hurling insults and puns at an akuma, who growled and rushed him, stepping right into Ladybug's trap._

_She was thrown headlong into his chest one day during a battle, her proximity allowing her to hear a deep rumble in his throat. "Are you purring?" she'd asked him, and he'd looked at her, mortified. "N-nooo waaay," he lied, though not convincingly._

_He was standing at her front door, offering her civilian self a 'once-in-a-lifetime chance' to help a superhero while she inwardly laughed at the irony, since he didn't know that her superhero self was the one who set it all up in the first place._

_He was sitting with her quietly in their favorite spot, halfway up the Eiffel Tower, an arm around her shoulders as she leaned into his side, looking out over the night lights of Paris._

* * *

Her anguish washed over her in waves. Every new memory was like a knife to her heart.

"Marinette," Tikki said hesitantly breaking through her thoughts, "Chat would want you to keep your earrings. You said it yourself- he believed in you so much that he was willing to risk everything for you. Including his very life. He would want you to keep being the person he knew, not give all that up because of him."

She took a shaky breath as she pondered what Tikki had said. She knew Tikki was right…she just didn't know if she could bring herself to do it. She wasn't strong alone; she wasn't brave. She was just plain old Marinette, the girl who tripped over thin air and made a complete fool of herself saying stupid things at the wrong times, who was just the baker's daughter that dreamed of being a designer, but never even had the guts to stand up to Chloe when she picked on her. But if it was for Chat…

"Ok Tikki, I'll try," she whispered. "For him. I'll try for him."

"That's my girl," Tikki said with quiet pride. "Now, sleep. We can try to look for Chat after you get some rest."

* * *

Not so far away, a young man slowly came back to himself. His head hurt terribly. Actually, check that; his entire body hurt terribly. He recognized that he was laying on something hard. The breeze on his face told him that he was probably outside. The extra pain in his head told him he'd probably hit it. Hard.

Slowly, he opened his eyes, wondering if perhaps he had a concussion. He could see he was definitely outside. The midday sun shone down on him, warming his body. There was a river a couple hundred feet from where he was, give or take. He noted that the place he was sitting was not immediately noticeable to people passing by. He wasn't sure if that was good or bad.

The sound of the rushing water was soothing. He breathed deeply, letting it wash over his mind like the tide. Then he took stock of his body as he carefully moved to a sitting position. His head was pounding, the throbbing pain originating somewhere near his left temple. He touched the spot and his fingers came away red; he was bleeding, though not much at the moment, thankfully. His right ankle and wrist were both swollen, as though he'd landed hard on them at some point.

What had happened to him, he wondered? Maybe he was mugged? He racked his brain but…he couldn't remember. Come to think of it, he couldn't remember…anything. He reflexively took his right hand in his left, twisting his…wait. There wasn't anything on his finger, so why…? His head hurt too much; it was making it hard to think.

Moving cautiously, he slowly edged towards the river, taking his right shoe and sock off so he could dip his foot in the water. He hoped the coolness of the liquid would reduce the swelling so maybe he could make it further than a couple hundred feet from where he'd started. He stared down at his reflection- his sunshine hair was sticking up in every direction, and his bright green eyes looked tired. He was fairly tall, with a lean, athletic build; he was pleased to see he had plenty of muscle, as well. He was likely in his mid-twenties, if he had to guess. He noted that his clothing- a hoodie and jeans, with a pair of orange sneakers- seemed to be extremely high quality, which probably meant he had quite a bit of money to his name…now that he thought on it, what _was_ his name?

He patted down his pockets, realizing that, if he had a wallet, it was not on him now, nor his phone. Another piece of evidence indicating he'd been mugged, perhaps? Either way, that wasn't good. Not only did he not have money with him, but he also had no clues as to who he was.

When he was satisfied that his foot and ankle were completely numb, he pulled his foot from the water, pulled on his sock and shoe, and carefully stood. He winced. Hopefully he could make a plan soon. Slowly, he made his way up a set of stairs to the main road and stopped in shock.

There, in front of him, was an enormous billboard bearing his own face. His photo-self was dressed in a dashingly casual outfit- a black polo shirt with a couple lime green stripes across the chest, and jeans. His hands were shoved comfortably in his pockets. A familiar smirk was plastered across his face, almost coming off as a smolder. "Agreste Fashions presents their summer line," the advertisement read, along with a date for what he assumed was probably a fashion show or some other such event.

_That could make things more complicated,_ the young man scowled to himself. If he was on a fashion billboard, he would likely be recognized…by all the wrong people. As it was, he didn't know anything about himself, his family, his home, not even his own name…the only thing he knew was that he had, at least once, modeled for Agreste Fashions. He might be able to find answers there but…his instinct told him to lay low for a while. He absolutely did not want people to take advantage of the fact that he couldn't remember anything before he'd woken up on the riverbank, and he knew there were people that had no qualms about doing such things.

He sighed, trying to figure out what to do. He needed to get off the street. Someone would recognize him for sure. He looked around- in the immediate vicinity, he found a bakery, a grocery store, and a drug store. _Perfect,_ he thought, a plan forming in his mind as he pulled up his hood. He turned to the drug store a little reluctantly. _Looks like it's time for a heist._

* * *

A short while later, the young man was sequestered in a public restroom with the spoils of his expedition- a box of medium brown hair color, haircutting scissors, and some brown contact lenses, plus a cheap pair of oval-shaped reading glasses. He felt a little bad about shoplifting, but reasoned he could always pay the store back once he got a job and some cash. Actually, he counted himself lucky to have gotten away with it. He knew he probably looked pretty suspicious, what with his head smeared with blood and his hood hiding his blond hair.

He gazed at his reflection in the mirror, taking a moment to wash his face and clean the wound to his head before beginning to cut his hair much shorter on the sides and apply the dye to his hair and eyebrows. The fumes from the dye made his head pound even worse. He gritted his teeth against the pain. When he'd finished his disguise, he checked his reflection over a couple times, feeling satisfied.

_My own mother wouldn't recognize me,_ he thought, confused by the pang in his chest as it went by. Perhaps it was his subconscious trying to tell him something…but his head hurt too much. He'd think about it later. He emerged from the restroom, breathing a sigh of relief in the fresh air as his headache receded somewhat. He looked around the intersection again. For some reason, the bakery seemed to call to him…though, maybe he was just hungry, he thought logically. From the state of his stomach, it had been a while since he last ate.

He adjusted his new glasses nervously. _I guess we'll see how well my disguise works,_ he thought, striding over and pushing the door open.

The young man was suddenly overwhelmed by the wonderful, homey smell of fresh-baked bread and pastries. His stomach growled.

"Hello there, young sir," a jovial voice called from inside. "What can I get for you?"

The man speaking was large and beefy, with brown hair and mustache, his happy green eyes watching the younger intently.

"Sorry, sir, I- I don't mean to intrude. I was wondering- wondering if I might bother you for a job, sir?" The younger man asked politely.

The baker looked thoughtful. "Do you have any cooking or baking experience?" He asked, looking him over.

The younger man furrowed his brow. He didn't remember if he could cook, so he shook his head. "No, sir. But I'm a quick study," he answered, hoping it was true. Something told him it was.

The baker opened his mouth to say something, when they were suddenly joined by a petite woman with bobbed black hair and gray eyes. She blinked slowly at the young man, then at the baker.

"Tom, who is this?" She asked, seeing that he was not ordering something like a normal customer. The baker- Tom- raised an eyebrow in the young man's direction.

"Um…Jean Luc Chapain." The young man made up a name on the spot, extending a hand to the woman, who shook it. "I'm…new here in the city and was hoping I might be able to get a job here," he explained.

"Sabine Cheng, and this is my husband, Tom Dupain," she introduced them. She turned to her husband in silent conversation, then turned back to Jean Luc, who was attempting to twist his right ring finger off again for some reason. Must be some sort of nervous habit from his past life, he decided. "We'll take you on a trial basis," she said. "If by the end of the week we decide your employment is going well, we'll keep you on. How does that sound?" She asked him.

Jean Luc nodded, relieved. "Thank you, Madame Cheng," he answered. "May I…start now?"

Before she could answer, his stomach gave another loud rumble, and Tom chuckled.

"Come on, kiddo. Let's get you something to eat. Then we'll put you to work.


	2. Chapter 2

It was late afternoon before Marinette woke. She didn't want to open her eyes, a feeling of dread settling over her. For a moment she couldn't remember why, before everything came rushing back- the akuma, the explosion, and Chat…Chat was gone. _Missing_, she corrected herself. She took a deep breath as tears sprang to her eyes. She swallowed hard. She would not cry anymore, she decided. Crying only gave her a headache…like she had now, from falling asleep after crying so much. She made a face, finally opening her eyes.

Tikki and Plagg were curled up on the pillow next to her, still sound asleep. She looked to the bedside table. It seemed that the kwamis had fetched a glass of water for her before going to sleep. She took it gratefully, downing the entire thing quickly before climbing out of bed and heading to the bathroom to wash her face.

By the time she got back, the kwamis were stirring.

"Ready to go look for Chat?" She said, determined to sound upbeat. Tikki floated over to her, nodding her head enthusiastically. Plagg looked wary. "What's the matter, Plagg? Didn't you get anything to eat while I was down for the count?"

Tikki answered for him. "I made sure to get him something," she said, not explaining further. Marinette raised an eyebrow, but let it go. He was probably just worried about Chat, she thought.

"Alright then. Tikki, spots on!" A moment later, Ladybug was sprinting towards the Seine.

* * *

A short while later, Ladybug had to admit that she had found nothing. There was no trace of the ash from before, no sign or hint that Chat Noir had ever been here at all. But she refused to give up. Just as she was turning to check again, or possibly use a lucky charm to aid her search, an alert sounded from her yo-yo. Another akuma.

Before, where Ladybug would have considered an akuma attack to be a mild annoyance at worst, now she was positively frozen in fear. She still had not found Chat Noir! Most of her plans had relied heavily on him in order for them to succeed. She had fought akumas before who had bewitched Chat, so then she had to fight both him _and_ the akuma…but it felt different this time. Different in the knowledge that there _was_ no one else. Nobody was there to have her back. Not this time.

"Spots, you gotta go, now!" Plagg hissed in her ear from where he'd hidden in one of her signature pigtails. She forced herself to take a deep breath. Panicking never helped anything.

"Thanks Plagg," she whispered back, taking out her yo-yo and launching herself onto a rooftop in order to get a better view.

Striding down the street was a person dressed to the nines in what looked to be a pirate costume. It was perfect; a tri-corner hat, long, matted hair, dramatic make-up and clothes, and high-heeled boots. He carried a sword and two pistols, which, instead of shooting bullets, turned his victims to gemstone statues.

Ladybug watched for a moment, deciding the akuma was probably either in his hat or his sword, or maybe the gold skull pendant around his neck. She sighed. That was the problem with pirates. So over-the-top. Finally, she could wait no longer and swung down to meet the villain.

"Alright, that's enough," she said sternly. "Hand over the akuma." She desperately wished Chat was here. He always had witty comments and insults to throw at the villains. She'd tried to think of one to put herself at ease- there had to be hundreds of good pirate puns- but she'd come up empty.

The pirate just laughed. "Not bloody likely. I have me orders from Hawkmoth!" He pulled one pistol faster than Ladybug could blink, but she had anticipated his movement and was already leaping away. A purple butterfly mask covered the man's face for a moment- she assumed Hawkmoth was laying into the guy about her almost becoming a sapphire statue before he could take the Miraculous- before he put his pistol away and drew his sword, leaping nimbly after her.

Ladybug knew she was in trouble. Her yo-yo was a distance weapon, not meant for hand-to-hand combat. She could use Plagg's powers, but she wasn't sure if there were side-effects to using the Ladybug and the Cat together. She didn't really want to find out in the middle of a battle, anyway, and she definitely didn't want to tip off Hawkmoth that Chat was missing at the moment.

She flipped over the pirate's head, grabbing the hat as she went. She tore it in half, but the akuma was nowhere to be seen. _Not that one, then,_ she thought unhappily.

The pirate advanced on her again. She leaped and dodged, trying her best to stay away from the blade, using her yo-yo to deflect his strikes. It wasn't ideal, but it was better than being sliced repeatedly, she supposed. She finally decided it might be better to retreat to call her lucky charm. Throwing her yo-yo, she swung away into the maze of chimneys. Finally with a lucky object in hand (a hang glider), she hurried back to where she'd left the akuma. He hadn't gone far, thankfully; he seemed to be amused with gathering as many sparkling statues as possible, not overly concerned about where Ladybug had gone.

She waited, hoping her lucky vision would tell her how exactly to go about winning the battle, but…the lucky vision never appeared. Ladybug watched in horror as the villain continued strolling through the streets, crystalizing citizens as he went.

"Spots, what are you waiting for?" Plagg demanded.

"My lucky vision hasn't kicked in yet," Ladybug answered. "I can't just-"

"If you don't act, the entire city will be frozen solid!" Plagg reminded her. "Get a move on, kid!"

Ladybug was terrified. If she messed this up, her transformation could very well fail just as she was in close proximity to the akuma. But if she waited, more and more people would be effected. She steeled herself. She would do this. She _had_ to do this. For Chat.

She readied the glider, carefully holding her yo-yo in her right hand and kicking off from the roof hard. As she soared down, she threw her yo-yo, grabbing both pistols away from the pirate with a snap of her wrist. She let go and grabbed the pendant with her left hand, yanking it from his neck as she curled into a forward roll, smoothly coming into a standing position. She efficiently caught and purified the butterfly, then threw the hang glider into the air yelling, "Miraculous Ladybug!" She turned on her heel, preparing to leave. She'd done it. Alone. Without her Kitty.

"Aren't you going to talk to him, kid?" Plagg's voice sounded quietly in her ear.

She had no words of comfort to give the victim; she was just so…so tired. She shook her head and swung off to her apartment. It should have been a victory, but she didn't feel like celebrating. Her partner was missing, and the minimum was done. She'd given all she felt she had in her for the day.

* * *

Jean Luc was covered in flour. Monsieur Dupain was teaching him how to knead bread dough. Now that he had been fed and put on an apron, the Dupain-Cheng's were eager to get him started. He moved carefully, trying to put up a good front as his body was still rather sore.

"You just need to get a steady rhythm going," Tom was saying, as he showed Jean Luc the movements. Jean Luc copied him expertly. "Yes, just like that," Tom encouraged. "Keep going until it feels elastic, not sticky." Jean Luc nodded and continued on. There were several batches of bread dough that had to be baked soon, so he was going to get lots of practice. Once he got going, he found that the rhythm and the feel of the dough under his fingers was strangely comforting. He was so engrossed in his task that he almost didn't hear the alert.

"Ladybug is fighting a pirate akuma near here!" One customer out front was saying excitedly, showing his friend a live feed playing on his phone. "Chat Noir isn't there yet."

Jean Luc was confused. He turned to Tom, who was looking concerned. "What's… an akuma?" He asked, wondering if it was something he, too, should be worried about. Tom seemed to have forgotten he was there, because he jumped slightly before answering.

"Oh, right! I forgot you said you were from out of town. An akuma is a magical purple butterfly that possesses a person who is feeling strong negative emotions," he explained. "The akuma victim is given powers temporarily to right the wrongs they feel have been done to them in return for handing over Ladybug and Chat Noir's- the heroes'- Miraculous- the source of their powers- to Hawkmoth, the supervillain behind all the akumas." Tom finished finally.

Jean Luc shook his head to clear it, feeling that pang in his chest. This was familiar, somehow; he just knew it. Tom chuckled briefly. "Confused yet?" Jean Luc nodded. "Don't worry. You'll catch on. In fact, I don't mind if you take a break if you want to go catch a glimpse of Ladybug and Chat Noir in action. They're really something spectacular to watch."

Jean Luc considered this, then decided he might as well go find out what all the fuss was about. He made for the door facing the street, before Tom set a heavy hand on his shoulder.

"Where do you think you're going, son?" He asked, looking concerned.

Jean Luc's brow furrowed. "I- I was going to…" Tom seemed to catch on finally.

"You don't want to go out there to watch, kid. It isn't safe. You don't want to get caught on the receiving end of those guys' powers. They can do all sorts of things to you- make you do things, turn you into evil minions, make you forget…It's safer to stay inside when all that stuff is going down. Just watch on TV, or on your phone."

Jean Luc frowned, then nodded. "Can I use your TV set to watch then? I- I lost my phone in the move," he lied sheepishly.

Tom nodded, pointing him to a door in the back. "Just up to the next floor and through the door. News should be channel five."

Thanking him, Jean Luc turned on his heel, racing up to the Dupain-Cheng's living room and plopping himself down on the sofa and switching on the television.

"Ladybug is still all by her lonesome," the newscaster was saying. "I wonder where Chat Noir is?"

The young man caught sight of a lady in a red one-piece super suit, which was covered in black polka dots. She was swinging something in her hand, but he couldn't make out what it was from the distance the camera was at; it seemed the news crew was filming from the air. His heart leapt in his chest; there was something very familiar about that girl.

The pirate-man was advancing on her, a huge sword in hand. He definitely knew how to use it, too. He could tell that the girl- Ladybug- was being quickly overwhelmed by the pirate's onslaught. Her weapon wasn't meant for close-range fighting, he could see it by the way she moved about. He wasn't sure how he knew that…but somehow, he did.

He was getting anxious now. Where was that…that Chat Noir, or whatever Tom had called the other superhero? Didn't he know that Ladybug needed him? Maybe they'd had a falling out or something, he thought.

Finally, she found an opening to throw the weapon on a string and swing out of range. The camera lost sight of her momentarily, zeroing in on the pirate again, who had resumed shooting people with his pistols. He didn't seem interested in chasing Ladybug. Jean Luc's eyes widened. Instead of the victims falling to the ground, they were transforming! He watched as one person after another changed, their bodies freezing in place, hardening as ruby, emerald, sapphire, and topaz engulfed their forms.

"That guy should be _arr_-rested," Jean Luc muttered under his breath.

The camera suddenly panned back out, and Jean Luc saw Ladybug, poised on a rooftop with a red and black-spotted hang glider, as though waiting for something. What _was_ she waiting for? More and more people were being changed as she stood there, not moving an inch. Was she ok? Why was she allowing so many people to be hit without doing anything?

It all happened in an instant. Before he knew it, Ladybug had leapt off the roof, gliding straight for the pirate-man. His pistols were snatched away, along with something else he couldn't make out, and then the man returned to his normal self- a business man in a suit and tie. There was a swirl of red, and Ladybug was gone. The crystal statues had returned to normal as well.

Jean Luc took off his glasses, rubbing his face as he sighed in relief. He kept listening to the newscaster with one ear. Ladybug had done it, no thanks to that Chat Noir fellow, whoever he was. A small smile played around his lips as he played over her epic rescue in his mind. _That girl is awesome, _he thought. _She's _crazy _awesome! _A familiar pang shot through he chest, and he frowned. Clearly, this Ladybug meant something to him. But how? She was a superhero, and he…he was just a normal guy who had no idea who he was!

All of a sudden, there was an uproar in the news station. Jean Luc shook himself, returning his attention to the television screen, finally catching sight of what all the fuss was about. There were still a total of five crystal statues, standing frozen in the streets of Paris.

* * *

Back in her apartment, Marinette turned to Tikki as her transformation released.

"Tikki! What happened to my lucky vision?" She wailed with a worried expression as she pulled out snacks for the kwamis. "I- I didn't know what to do, or if it would even work…"

"I don't know, Marinette, I've never seen this happen," the tiny ladybug kwami replied, wringing her paws. "Plagg, have you ever seen anything like this before?"

The black cat kwami was looking worried. "Only twice," he admitted finally. "It…happened a long time ago; a couple of my kittens have had their powers weakened. We didn't know how or why it happened, only…only that it got my kittens killed, in the end," he finished, looking sad.

Marinette shuddered. "My-my powers may not be working correctly?" She asked, concerned. "What about the akuma? And the cure? Those worked, didn't they?"

Not waiting for an answer, Marinette, pulled out her phone, flipping to a video posted on Alya's Ladyblog. Unfortunately, more bad news awaited her- the crystal statues that remained stood a testament to the fact that something was indeed wrong. Marinette groaned out loud in despair. She felt useless. Chat would never have let this happen to him, she was sure- whatever it was that had happened to her.

A new notification popped up, and Marinette opened it immediately. Her jaw dropped in horror as the new video proclaimed her worst fear- several half-transformed pirates were frozen in time around the city. It seemed that her akuma purification had only partially worked; there weren't as many as when Stoneheart had multiplied, but she knew that it was plenty bad enough with the ten or so partially-formed villains.

"If I do the Miraculous Ladybug again, would everything be fixed, Tikki?" She asked desperately. The tiny ladybug thought for a moment, then shook her head.

"It would likely take care of the gemstone people, but the akumas still have to be caught and purified," she said. Marinette sighed.

"Well, let's at least help those we can," she said, her voice laced with resignation. She transformed and did her Miraculous cure again, then released Tikki to more snacks. A few moments later, she received the update that told the story that Tikki had predicted- the partial pirates were still frozen, but the crystalized victims had gone home to their families.

"Maybe…maybe if she uses the ring instead, everything will go back to the way it was? Perhaps there's a problem with the earrings," Plagg was saying to Tikki, an eyebrow raised. Tikki looked resigned.

"It's worth a try," she said. "If the earrings are damaged, we have more problems than just the powers. Marinette's life could be at stake."

"What do you mean?" Marinette asked quickly.

"Using a damaged Miraculous can damage you, too," Tikki explained. "It can cause significant, possibly irreversible health problems."

"Let's have her try Cataclysm," Plagg suggested. "If it's still weakened, it's probably not the Miraculous."

"Plagg, claws out!" She cried, her normal clothes morphing into a leather suit reminiscent of Chat's usual one, though with a few more lime green accents. Her hair was longer, pulled back in a massive braid that reached nearly to the ground, looking more like a tail than anything else, and the belt was missing. Tears came to her eyes as she remembered the first time she and Chat had accidentally traded Miraculous, using each other's powers for a battle. They'd learned a lot about each other that day, and come out of the experience appreciating each other more than ever.

Shaking herself roughly out of her thoughts, she raised her right hand to about head height, looking around for something to destroy. She picked up a piece of scrap fabric, muttering, "Cataclysm," as she touched a finger to it. Instead of turning to ash and dissolving before her eyes, as it had when Chat Noir had wielded the spell, it became faded and threadbare. It wouldn't take much to tear it, but the facts were before them; the problem was not with the Miraculous, but with Marinette herself. She sighed, releasing Plagg for his extra snack.

A voice cut through her reverie.

"Sleep on it, Marinette," Tikki suggested. "Maybe things will get better."

* * *

Some weeks later, on the other side of the city, a middle aged man paced restlessly in his office. He was beside himself. It had been weeks since he'd heard from his son. The boy had moved out abruptly and the man hadn't heard from the him since. He'd tried to give the boy space to calm down as they hadn't parted on the best terms, but now he wasn't so sure that had been the right course of action. Thoughts swirled in his head until he caught hold of one in particular. He took out his phone, feverishly typing in the number. It answered on the third ring.

"Hello?" A woman's voice answered.

"Nathalie," his cold voice quivered slightly. "How soon can you come?"

He heard a sigh on the other end of the line. "Sir, I'm supposed to be in a meeting with the building committee in ten minutes. I can't just-"

"Nathalie," he said dangerously. "Now."

There was silence for a moment, before she sighed again. "I'll be there in ten minutes."

There was a click as the call ended.

* * *

When Nathalie arrived at the Agreste Mansion, she was surprised when Gabriel answered the door before she'd even knocked.

"Come in," he ordered distractedly.

Nathalie raised a stoic eyebrow at him. "Distracted" and "Gabriel Agreste" were two words that should never be put together in the same sentence. "Are you alright, sir?"

"Adrien is missing," he said, pacing the room again. "He hadn't answered any of my calls for over a month, so I finally had my security team track down his living accommodations. No one in his apartment building has seen him in several weeks. There's no security footage suggesting his whereabouts. Nobody knows where he is." He turned to her with an intense, slightly insane look. "I need you to become Catalyst again. The akumas will find him."

She looked at him, startled. "Sir, do you really think that's a good idea? You'll give yourself away-"

"I don't care!" he thundered, taking a threatening step towards her. "Don't you understand, Nathalie? He's all I have left!"

Nathalie was incensed. If Gabriel was revealed as Hawkmoth, she would likely be revealed as his accomplice, which would well and truly ruin her political career, not to mention likely wind up with her in prison. She couldn't allow that. Not after all this work. Not after all she'd sacrificed. A plan formed in her mind.

"Alright, sir. Lead the way," she pretended to concede defeat, silently grabbing a statue from a decorative pedestal on their way to the secret panel that hid Hawkmoth's lair.

As he turned his back to her, she raised the statue. A blow to the back of the head left him unconscious on the floor. She stooped down, quickly retrieving the Butterfly brooch, before swiftly turning on her heel and letting herself out through the front door.

* * *

Some time later, Gabriel came to. His head was pounding. All at once, everything came rushing back- Adrien missing, Nathalie… Nathalie had come to help him. But then… he turned his head carefully, but there was no sign of Nathalie, only a small concrete statue laying on the floor next to his head. He'd probably been bludgeoned with it, he decided. And the only contact he'd had with anyone other than his housekeeping staff was Nathalie.

Could Nathalie been the one to hit him over the head? But…why would she do that? Shrugging as he resolved to think about it later, he stood shakily, putting in the code for access to his secret lair. He descended, coming into a large room with hundreds of white butterflies. He didn't need Nathalie. He would find Adrien, one akuma at a time.

"Nooroo, Dark wings rise!" he called out…but nothing happened. He tried again, but still nothing. Looking down, his heart caught in his throat. The Butterfly Miraculous was gone.

Returning to his office, Gabriel rubbed his forehead against the throbbing headache as he dropped heavily into a chair. His Miraculous was gone, most likely taken by the one person he trusted. His son was gone, vanished without a trace. His wife…well, there would be no hope of getting a hold of the Ladybug and Cat Miraculous' now.

Fury swept over him; he pulled out his phone and called Nathalie. Astoundingly, she had the audacity to answer!

"Hello sir?" she greeted.

"I know what you did," he seethed coldly. "You will regret this!"

"Regret what? Sir, what are you talking about?" she asked. He heard concern and confusion lacing her voice. He never had Nathalie pegged as such a good actress.

"You know very well what I mean," he snarled. "I will inform the authorities of your trespassing into my home and-"

"No, sir," her voice was firm. "You invited me into your home, remember? Are you sure you're feeling ok?"

With a scream of rage, Gabriel threw his phone across the room. It shattered, and pieces of glass skittered across the marble tiles.

* * *

As the call dropped, Nathalie smirked inside her office at city hall. He couldn't turn her in for stealing the brooch, unless he wanted to out himself as Hawkmoth. Besides, if this particular recorded phone call went public, as well as the one before that, no one would believe him anyway; a reclusive designer who hadn't been out of the house in over ten years calls and threatens the mayor of all people? _Please_.

She opened the locked drawer in her desk, checking that the butterfly brooch was still safely within, before re-locking the drawer and pulling a stack of paperwork towards her. Now that she had the Butterfly, maybe she could get take care of Ladybug and…well, it seemed Chat Noir had already been taken care of for her. Ladybug had been fighting on her own for weeks. It would only be a matter until that bug got squished.

Once Ladybug was out of the way, there would be no one to challenge her. She could shape reality however she wanted, especially if she had Ladybug's miraculous. She would easily be the most powerful being in Europe, if not the world! She would surpass even Gabriel! She smirked again. It was going to be a great day.


	3. Chapter 3

Over the next few months, Jean Luc fell into a comfortable rhythm. His aches and pains healed quickly, and soon he was functioning at one hundred percent again. He worked in the bakery nearly every day beginning before sun-up, and the Dupain-Cheng's had graciously allowed him to stay in their apartment above the shop.

"Sorry it's pink," Tom had said apologetically to him as they'd shown him to his sleeping area. "This room belonged to our daughter, but she moved out a few years ago to a flat on the other side of City Center."

Jean Luc had noticed the bed in the loft, several old sketch books in a pile on the desk in front of a computer, a pink chaise lounge, and random fabric scraps shoved away in a set of plastic drawers to one side of the closet. He smiled. The room felt warm and comfortable, just like the rest of the Dupain's home, and gave a few clues to the craft-obsessed girl who'd lived here.

"No worries," he had said casually. He was just happy to have somewhere to stay that wasn't next to the river where he'd woken. In time, he also found that he enjoyed the Dupain-Cheng's company. They were a kind and loving couple, and they extended their warmth to him freely, as if he were their own son. He never told them much about himself (since he truly had very little to tell), but he found that he and Tom both enjoyed corny jokes and puns, and the three of them spent many free evenings having movie nights and video game challenges or playing board games.

He'd soon found that he had a natural talent for baking; or, so he assumed. He couldn't remember ever baking anything, but he found it fun and relaxing. By the end of the first week, Tom and Sabine had become so attached to their charming new assistant that they'd asked him to stay on full-time. He'd been so relieved that he'd been allowed to stay that he'd launched himself into Sabine, wrapping her in a hug. Upon realizing what he'd done, he'd stepped back quickly, face flushing, before Tom had stepped forward and nearly crushed him in a hug of his own.

As he started on a batch of pain au chocolat, Jean Luc had to admit he was perfectly content in this life he'd created for himself. He was happy with his work, though it maybe wasn't glamorous or what most would call ambitious. He had people who cared about him. And although he still had many questions about who he really was and what had happened to him, he wasn't sure he wanted to trade his new life for whatever his old one had been.

He had to confess to himself, though, that he was becoming increasingly curious about the Dupain-Cheng's daughter, Marinette. He'd seen her a few times, just flitting in and out every once in a while to say hi to her parents, but she'd never stayed to chat. Even though he'd now been at the bakery for almost five months, he still had never been formally introduced to her. In fact, he was relatively sure that she'd never noticed his presence.

He'd watched her out of the corner of his eye as she pecked her mother on the cheek before disappearing up to the apartment one day. She had large, expressive blue eyes, which seemed sad when she thought no one was looking, and dark hair that hung around her face in soft waves, though she often pulled it back out of her face. She was pretty, he thought, but he could tell something was off about her. He'd noticed the dark circles under her eyes that she had attempted to hide with make-up and the tension in her shoulders. A couple times, he noticed her subtly rubbing at her forehead as though to ease the pressure built up there. He hoped she wasn't getting ill.

Her parents talked about her often enough that he felt he knew quite a bit about her, and he'd seen the photos of her that her parents had sprinkled throughout the house. Her blue eyes were always sparkling with happiness, or mischief, or amusement in those photos. But something had happened, he was sure of it, because the Marinette he'd seen kept mostly to herself, rarely smiled, and her blue eyes were dull. There was not a sparkle to be seen.

Her mother seemed increasingly quiet and worried each time after her daughter would visit. Once she would leave, Sabine would retreat to her kitchen and begin whipping up some chocolate chip cookies. He'd asked her about it once.

"They're Marinette's favorite," Sabine had told him, before lapsing back into silence, refusing to say anything more.

As he finished his task, checking the list of items to prepare for the day, his mind turned to Ladybug. The red-clad super heroine had seemed increasingly overwhelmed in the past few months. Chat Noir had never shown his face, not once since the day Jean Luc had woken by the river.

He had heard various news reports that went over the disappearance of Chat Noir again and again in great detail. Chat's very last recorded battle had millions of views, people the world over trying to theorize what had happened to the leather-clad young man in cat ears. Most people, from what he could tell, believed he was dead, killed in the explosion that finished the battle. Truthfully, they had very little to go on- it wasn't as though Ladybug herself was very forthcoming with information. She had veritably fled from the reporters nearly every time they approached her.

Jean Luc, for his part, disagreed. Chat Noir was alive, he could almost feel it. But he had to admit, he was a little angry with the guy. He had spent hours of his free time watching commentaries of the recent akuma battles on the old computer in Marinette's old room. He felt drawn to Ladybug and her hero work, for some reason. He had been startled at how long the heroes had been fighting the akumas, but it was plain to see (to him, at least) that Chat had loved Ladybug, almost since that very first day. He was always flirting and teasing her in the fan vids he found on that site, the Ladyblog. He could see it in the way he leaned toward her, the way he was always aware of her presence, and the way he looked at her. And there was rarely a battle where he was not attempting to kiss her hand or watching her, unnoticed, in the most love-sick fashion. Jean Luc had skipped around a bit in the video chronology, and found that, as they had grown, their relationship to each other had changed very little. He still pursued her in a light-hearted fashion that could possibly be mistaken for teasing or joking, and she still good-naturedly rebuffed him at every turn, even up until he'd disappeared. He'd claimed to have loved her. He'd _acted_ like he loved her. And then…he was just…gone. He'd left Ladybug hanging at the snap of a finger. No fight they could have had was possibly worth that.

To make matters worse, it seemed that Ladybug's powers were going haywire. There was rampant speculation on how and why the akumas seemed to multiply more often than not. Ladybug had to purify the stupid bug three or four times now to prevent akuma swarms later, and the times she forgot or was distracted produced frozen akumatized statues that were now scattered over Paris. Many people had called for the dismissal of Ladybug- she wasn't doing a good job as protector of Paris, anyway, people reasoned. Maybe, they said, if she disappeared, Hawkmoth would, too.

Jean Luc, once again, disagreed. He didn't know what Hawkmoth's motivation was, but he was sure that if Ladybug disappeared, the entire city would be in shambles in a matter of days. Getting rid of Ladybug was the wrong answer, but he didn't know what the right answer was. Her magic was becoming more and more erratic as time wore on, less effective, and he could see the tension in her shoulders every time a new akuma appeared. It was similar to the tension he saw in Marinette the few times he'd seen her, now that he thought on it…

A crash from behind him startled him out of his thoughts.

"Sorry," a voice mumbled as he turned to see what had happened. Marinette was sitting there on the floor, flushed in embarrassment. "Tripped," she said shortly by way of explanation.

Jean Luc dusted off his hands and reached one out to her, hoping to help the girl to her feet. But she ignored his hand, pushing herself up off the floor instead. She attempted to right the box she'd been carrying, the contents of which had spilled over the tiles. Papers covered in sketches were everywhere. Jean Luc silently stooped to help her.

As he gathered the various papers, one in particular caught his eye. A mostly black-and-white sketch of a boy in a heavy black jumpsuit with a Mandarin-style collar, his light, messy hair askew, punctuated with fuzzy black cat ears. His look was completed by a tail made out of a belt. The lean, muscular chest and biceps were plain to see, even with the leather. He was smirking, and his green cat eyes- the only thing in the entire sketch done in color- were sparkling with mischief behind his thick black domino mask. His posture was crouched in what could only be described as a 'cat pose', his clawed hands resting on the ground between his wide-spread knees. On one of his fingers was a heavy black ring bearing a paw print symbol. He was captivated- it was one of the most life-like drawings he'd ever seen.

He looked up to see Marinette watching him uncomfortably. He gave her a crooked smile, trying to ease her concern.

"This- this is quite good," he remarked earnestly. "Your own work, I assume?" She nodded silently, snatching the paper away from him. A jolt of electricity shot through him as their hands brushed against each other briefly. It was then that he noticed a heavy-looking silver ring shining in the light on her right ring finger as she pulled her hand back. _That's important, _his mind told him, before he pushed the thought away. He watched as she glanced at the drawing, pain and grief flitting over her face, before she carefully schooled her expression into neutrality, her blue eyes on her feet.

"Thank you for your help, um…" she looked up at him questioningly before her gaze darted away from him.

"Jean Luc," he supplied helpfully. "And you're Marinette," he stated confidently, wishing she would make eye contact with him again. Her eyes were beautiful, he thought off-handedly. She nodded again, glancing at him warily. There was a pause before she shifted uncomfortably.

"Well, I have to go," she said finally as the awkward silence stretched between them. "Nice to meet you, Jean Luc," she said, before starting to turn away.

"You as well, Milady," Jean Luc said with a jaunty two-fingered salute. He didn't know what possessed him to do that, but it just felt…natural. He shrugged it off. Marinette, however, whirled back around to face him head-on, nearly dropping her box a second time as she stared at him in shock. She studied his face, her eyes intense in concentration. _What did I say?_ He thought worriedly, though he took care that his face didn't show his feelings, only raising an eyebrow at her stunned look. She opened her mouth to say something, but before she could get a word out, her father's voice boomed out behind them.

"Jean Luc! I see you've finally met our Marinette," he beamed at them. Jean Luc, for his part, turned his body towards Tom's voice, though his eyes remained firmly fixed on Marinette's face. She was still staring at him, thunderstruck, before she shook her head with a grimace.

"I was just heading up to drop this in my room before class, Papa," Marinette said to her father, who shook his head.

"Just leave it in the living room, cherie. Jean Luc is staying with us for the time being, and he's got your old room now. I'll put it away later," he said.

"Oh," Marinette said faintly. "Ok." Jean Luc's chocolate eyes narrowed behind his glasses. Her eyes were darting around, as though she were desperately searching for an exit. Just then, her mother entered the room from the store front.

"Marinette, what a lovely surprise!" Sabine said warmly. "Won't you join us for lunch?"

Marinette shook her head. "I have class, Maman," she begged off. Sabine would not be deterred, however.

"Well, then, why don't you come for dinner sometime later this week?"

Jean Luc watched as Marinette's anxiety continued to build. "I…I'll think about it," she said, before disappearing out the door towards the apartment. He registered Sabine's stricken gaze following after her daughter, before he quickly made up his mind. Jolting forward, he quickly ran after her, up the flight of stairs into the apartment. He tried to open the door, but it seemed something heavy was leaning against it.

"M-Marinette?" He said tentatively, knocking softly on the door with the knuckle of his index finger. There was a pause, then he heard a shuffle from the other side as the door swung open to reveal an exhausted-looking Marinette. "Hey. Are…are you alright?" He asked, looking at her in concern. She didn't acknowledge him, keeping her gaze firmly planted on the toes of her black flats. He sighed, running a hand through his brown locks in frustration. He didn't know why she was being like this, but he intended to do everything in his power to change it. "Look, I'm sorry if I said or did anything I shouldn't have," he said softly. She met his eyes in surprise. Clearly, she had not been expecting him to apologize. "I want to make it right."

She considered him for a moment, then shook her head slowly. "You…you didn't do anything wrong," she replied finally. "You just…you reminded me of someone for a moment." She didn't elaborate, but the pain in her eyes told him a lot.

"Someone you lost," he said astutely, searching her eyes. "Someone you cared about." She looked at him in surprise, but nodded. His mind automatically put the pieces together. "It's- it's that Chat Noir fellow, isn't it?" He blurted out before he could stop himself, feeling a little disappointed. He peeked up through his hair to see her reaction. He should have known. There was no way a nobody like him could compare with a superhero anyway…

He saw her large eyes become the size of dinner plates, before they narrowed. _So I was right…_

"I don't think that's your business," she said bluntly.

"I'm sorry," he said, twisting at his right ring finger nervously. "I didn't mean to pry. It's just…you seem sad. I- I only want to help." He looked away before chocolate eyes met sky blue. "I haven't lived here very long. I don't know a soul here in Paris, aside from your parents. I had hoped…I hoped we could be friends? But…" He sighed. "I think I started out wrong," he admitted, stuffing his hands deep into his pockets, breaking eye contact as he stared at his feet. He felt miserable. "You don't seem to like me very much." He glanced at her through his hair again.

Her expression smoothed a little before she spoke. "I just…don't know you," she admitted. "Maybe…maybe someday we could be friends."

His brown eyes brightened as he gave her a small smile. "I'd like that," he answered. The silence stretched between them for a moment, before he broke it.

"I should…probably get back to work," he said, rubbing the back of his neck with a hand awkwardly as he gestured towards the door with the other. Marinette was looking at him oddly again, but then cleared her expression. He looked at her seriously for a moment, before speaking again. "Your mother is worried about you, you know," he said. He said nothing else, not sure if it was his place to, before turning on his heel and descending back to his pastries, leaving Marinette alone with her thoughts.

* * *

As soon as he left, Marinette sank onto the sofa, putting her head in her hands. She could feel a migraine coming on.

_His mannerisms are so much like Chat's, _she finally acknowledged to herself. The word choices, the neck rubbing tic when he was feeling awkward, the crooked smile, the way he looked at her though his hair when he was feeling insecure… She was trembling. Then her jaw hardened.

_No, it can't be him, _she argued with herself. _You just want to find him so badly that you were imagining things. Seeing what you wanted to see._

She sighed. The truth was, she'd didn't know anything about the young man who'd come after her, or that much about Chat, either, for that matter. His hair didn't match, but then again, maybe the suit's magic could change someone's hair color. Jean Luc could very well have been Chat Noir, and she'd never know…but that wouldn't explain why Chat hadn't contacted her as Ladybug by now if he was Jean Luc…he may not have had the ring or the suit anymore, but Chat was smart. He would have gotten a message to her if he wanted to. _Or was able to,_ her mind finished unhelpfully.

_He called me Milady! _ She thought in a panic, grasping at her hair. _Jean Luc called me Milady! What if he knows who I am?_

"Marinette! Calm down!" Tikki's small voice sounded muffled from inside her purse. "It's going to be ok."

Marinette took a breath but it didn't seem to help. No, it _wasn't_ going to be ok! Everything was wrong. Chat was still missing (and possibly dead, her traitorous mind added before she could push it away), and her powers were crumbling. And now there was a strange young man in the bakery that acted like Chat! She was a wreck. She pulled her feet up onto the sofa, drawing her knees to her chest. She sighed heavily as she buried her face in her arms and rested it on her knees.

"Trust your instincts, Spots." Marinette jumped as Plagg's voice sounded quietly in her ear; she'd put him in her bag with Tikki earlier. He must have climbed or floated up on her shoulder when she wasn't paying attention. "What are they telling you?"

She huffed in frustration. Her mind and emotions were so loud that she had no idea what her instincts were telling her. She thought a moment.

"Maybe…to give Jean Luc a chance?" She said questioningly. "He seemed kind, and…I don't know. Maybe there's more to him than meets the eye."

Plagg seemed satisfied. "Good enough," he said approvingly. "For what it's worth, I agree with you," he added. "I have a very good feeling about that kid."

"Are you going to visit your parents later?" Tikki asked from her bag. Marinette looked at her doubtfully.

"I don't know. I don't want to have to explain anything to them," she said. "I don't want to talk about it. I can't, anyway. No one can know that I'm Ladybug, or that Marinette knows Chat Noir. It's bad enough Jean Luc was able to read me well enough to come to that conclusion. And I definitely won't be able to hide it from Maman. If anyone brings up Chat Noir in conversation, she'll be able to read it right off my face," she said morosely. The kwamis said nothing before Plagg rejoined Tikki her bag, knowing by now it was pointless to argue.

She watched them for a moment as they curled up together, both kwamis looking worn out. She felt a pang of guilt. She knew that Tikki and Plagg were taking shifts during the night, watching out for akumas to keep Marinette from falling prey to Hawkmoth. She'd already been woken several times in the last few months to catch the akumas fluttering around her room before they could turn her with the emotions from her nightmares. She was beyond appreciative, but she couldn't help but feel that her emotions were a huge burden on her tiny friends. She couldn't seem to shake her depressive moods for long.

Oddly enough, Hawkmoth had backed off somewhat since Chat's disappearance; the schedule was back to once every two or three days. She knew she was lucky he had, though she had actually expected he would try to take advantage of Chat being gone and pummel her with every akuma he could. But he hadn't, and for that, she was eternally grateful.

After a beat, she shook herself out of her thoughts and stood slowly. "I better get to class. I'm going to be late as it is." She made her way down the stairs and out through the bakery. She stopped short as she caught sight of Jean Luc, who was pulling ingredients off the shelf, preparing to start another batch of something with his back to her. He hadn't noticed her appearance. She made a split-second decision and approached him, putting a small hand on his shoulder.

He jumped at the contact, before turning to face her. Surprise was written across his handsome features. She met his eyes seriously.

"Please. Please don't tell anyone," she whispered pleadingly.

"Tell anyone what?" He asked, looking confused, his chocolate eyes searching behind his glasses. She glanced around quickly, checking that no one was listening, before answering.

"That I know Chat Noir," she explained softly. "No one can know. It's too dangerous. Please."

His expression hardened, his eyes blazing determinedly. "Your secret is safe with me, Milady," he promised. She shivered and her heart flipped. _It's not him. It's not him. It _can't_ be, _she reminded herself.

"Anyway, I have to go. I'll see you around?" She asked. He smiled softly.

"Yeah. See you around," he echoed, giving his two-fingered salute with a flour-covered hand as she turned and left the room.


	4. Chapter 4

Jean Luc was upset with himself. He knew he was probably being forward; he knew she was probably having a really hard time because Chat was missing; he knew she probably thought he was nosy and weird…He sighed, contenting himself to pounding the bread dough he was kneading as hard as he could against the countertop in frustration. Why couldn't things ever just be simple for a change?

He knew he had a crush on Marinette; he'd known for a while. He didn't know why, seeing that they'd just now met properly, but he somehow felt drawn to her. The problem was, she seemed to be emotionally closed off from just about everyone- as far as he'd seen, at least. He wished she would let someone be there for her, even if it wasn't him. But, then again, maybe she did have someone, he just didn't know about it because the two of them weren't.…technically friends. Although, he suspected that if she _had_ let someone in, she'd be a lot happier than she was now.

He smiled inwardly as he remembered that she had trusted him to keep her relationship to Chat Noir a secret. That had to be progress, right?

_Yeah,_ said a snarky voice in his head, _if by "trust" you mean "asked you not to tell something you already know." _He rolled his eyes, knowing it was true. She hadn't confided in him; he'd figured it out on his own. That didn't really sound much like trust.

He had to admit, he was a little jealous of Chat. But then again, the guy was nowhere to be seen for months. He knew it was illogical, but that didn't make his feelings magically disappear either. He wanted Marinette to be happy, but he wished she could be happy with_ him_.

He was startled at this thought. He'd only just met her properly, he shouldn't be thinking things like that yet, he chastised himself. It didn't make any sense! But there was something about Marinette that was very familiar, comforting almost. He didn't know how or why, as he didn't remember meeting her before. He wished he knew what she was to him before this whole mess with his memories.

But, he reasoned, he was unlikely to ever find out. He didn't know a lot about medicine or the human mind, but he thought that if his memories were going to come back, they probably would have started to do so already. At least, he'd have expected something, anything, to turn up by now- a flashback, a dream, a full memory…anything, really. But as it was, he was beginning to lose hope that he'd ever remember anything from before that day.

Sabine chose that moment to rush through the door, looking lighter than Jean Luc had seen her in ages. She gazed around, and, finally catching sight of him, made her way over. She beamed at him, patting his cheek in a motherly fashion.

"I don't know what you said to her, but thank you, Jean Luc! From the bottom of my heart!" She held up her phone to his questioning face. "See? Look!" It took his eyes a moment to focus, but he finally was able read a text from Marinette.

Marinette: Thanks for the dinner invite, Maman. Not sure if I'll be able to get off work early enough for dinner, but maybe we can do a movie night next Friday instead? Let me know 3

Jean Luc's face broke in to a heartfelt grin. "You're welcome Madame…uh..Sabine," he corrected himself as she walked away, humming happily to herself. Tom and Sabine liked him to use their first names, but he nearly always responded formally. A product of his forgotten upbringing, he supposed.

He was glad Marinette had actually listened to his advice. Connection to others could be good for her, he thought, especially if she was dealing with loss. He wasn't sure why he knew that, but he…just had a feeling.

Feeling lighter himself, he returned to his bread, whistling happily as he did so.

* * *

Marinette still wasn't sure what possessed her to accept an invitation from her parents to come over. She'd been steadfastly avoiding prolonged contact with them for months. Maybe it had been that Jean Luc guy; he'd gotten in her head, she admitted to herself.

She remembered the sincere look in his eyes as they'd spoken briefly. She shivered, remembering that same look in another, more cat-like pair of eyes…

_No!_ She scolded herself, _Don't go there, Mari! It's a mistake! It's not him!_

But yet, she couldn't help but remember that he'd helped her. He'd come after her when she had run off in a terrible mood. He'd helped her with her parents, probably because he genuinely cared about her mother, she decided. Her mother was the kind of person that touched people's hearts easily.

"Good for you, Marinette," Tikki spoke up proudly just then from the dining table across the room from where Marinette was sitting, perched on the sofa with her legs tucked underneath her. "I'm glad you're giving your parents a chance. It will be good for you."

"My head knows you're right, Tikki, but I can't help but feel I'm making a mistake," she said heavily. "They shouldn't need to be brought down by my company. And…I don't know if I can face them and pretend everything is ok. Especially with that new guy around. He's too much like Chat Noir."

Tikki stayed silent, knowing it wasn't worth it to continue to argue when Marinette was in this sort of mood. Marinette was grateful as the room lapsed into silence, pulling out her schoolbooks.

She sighed. Her homework waited for no man.

* * *

Nathalie Sancoer sat in the large chair in her office, smiling slightly to herself. Her work as mayor was going swimmingly. Akumas were still terrorizing the city several times a week; she'd decided that it would be prudent to pretend there was nothing different about Hawkmoth in order to avoid suspicion. Ladybug was continuing to fail at every turn, less and less focused and effective each time. The city streets were filling with partial victims. Things were going well.

Now, for phase two of her plan.

The intercom buzzed annoyingly.

"Madame Sancoer, a Miss Rossi is here to see you," her secretary announced.

"Send her in," Nathalie commanded, folding her hands calmly on top her desk.

A smartly dressed young woman with auburn hair stepped over the threshold.

"Madame Mayor, it is an honor! Thank you soooo much for inviting me to meet with you!" Miss Rossi gushed sweetly, extending her hand, which Nathalie shook in a perfunctory manner.

"Please, sit down," Nathalie said calmly indicating the chair opposite her. Lila sat down, looking at her expectantly. Nathalie studied her.

"Miss Rossi, you may not remember, but several years ago, I worked as Gabriel Agreste's personal assistant. In that capacity, I was able to observe a good many things about you while you worked as a model. Now, I have an opportunity for you, one that I think you will consider to be too good to refuse."

Lila was intrigued, but said nothing. Nathalie unlocked a drawer to her desk, pulling out a purple brooch. Lila's eyes shone with envy.

"Do you know what this is?" Nathalie asked, holding up the purple gem. Lila nodded.

"The Butterfly Miraculous," she answered at once. "It was in that book Adrien had years ago. He was looking at it on a break during a photo shoot." Nathalie nodded. Lila looked up at her in awe, with just a touch of reverence. "Does this mean…you're Hawkmoth?" Nathalie smirked and shook her head.

"Hawkmoth has been…indisposed for some time now," she revealed. "I have kept up his work, but I find myself…a bit too preoccupied with my own career to continue." She looked at Lila. "I was hoping I could count on you to take his place."

Lila narrowed her eyes. "If anyone ever finds out, I will lose my job as a model. My reputation will be ruined. So…what's in it for me?"

Nathalie smirked again. "I assume that you still hold a grudge towards Ladybug, is that correct?" Lila didn't answer, but the anger that flitted over her face told Nathalie everything she needed to know. "I thought so. What would you say to a chance to bring her down— permanently?"

Lila allowed a malicious grin to spread over her face. "It would be my pleasure, Madame Mayor. And without that stupid Chat Noir, and Ladybug being even more incompetent than usual, it should be easy."

Nathalie smiled. "Excellent. Now, here's what I want you to do…"

* * *

Several weeks went by, and Jean Luc was starting to get restless. The bakery work was normal, and while he was pleased with all the new skills he'd learned, he was itching for some excitement. But, not sure where to go or what else to do, he continued to quietly knead his bread dough, letting his mind wander.

He hadn't seen anything of Marinette since that day she'd spilled her drawings all over the bakery floor. She had evidently kept messaging her mother with excuses, postponing the meeting that had been planned. Although he had halfway expected this, he couldn't help but feel disappointed. And he couldn't help but wonder if she was avoiding him on purpose, if it was his fault she'd stayed away.

Sabine was, if anything, even more worried about her daughter than before. She was baking cookies several times a week now, even when Marinette hadn't visited. Jean Luc was becoming concerned for his surrogate mother; she risked getting herself akumatized.

Just as he was finishing up with the bread and taking off his apron for a break, an akuma alert shook him out of his thoughts. He pulled out the phone he'd bought himself just a couple weeks after he'd come to the bakery, seeing that the akuma was near the Louvre. He thought of Ladybug.

He didn't know what he thought he could do, but she needed help, there was absolutely no denying it. He'd watched her become more and more weighed down for weeks- from afar, of course. She was just one person, her partner was missing, and her powers were going berserk. She had to feel as alone as Marinette probably did. He quickly made up his mind. He didn't know how to help Marinette since he was quite sure she wouldn't let him, but he was going to find a way to help Ladybug.

Taking care that Tom and Sabine were too busy inside to notice his escape, he grabbed his favorite hoodie (solid black with a Chat Noir paw print and cat ears on the hood) and slipped out the back door, running as fast as he could toward the museum. As he ran, he pulled out his phone, hoping to get a clue as to what Ladybug would be up against.

The latest intel broadcasted that the man was dressed as a wizard of some sort, with a magic staff. Basically, anything and everything the man thought of became reality. Objects turned into other objects; elements were manipulated; things were appearing out of thin air; the works, in other words.

He finally skidded to a stop a safe distance from the glass pyramid and pulled up his hood, on the lookout for any sign of the wizard villain and Ladybug. Seeing nothing so far, he ventured closer, circling the pyramid from the shadows. Still finding nothing, he crept quietly past the police force standing guard and into the Louvre. The interior was, thankfully, deserted; evidently, all civilians had already been evacuated.

_If I were a wizard in a museum, where would I hide?_ He thought, pushing his oval-shaped glasses up his nose in concentration as he read the directory. Finally catching sight of an exhibit boasting artifacts from the middle ages, he cockily snapped his fingers. _Bingo._

He followed the signs, taking care to keep to the shadows and peeking around corners as he went. Passing a display case full of ancient weaponry, Jean Luc grabbed a sword, holding it in front of himself, crouched in a defensive stance. He was beginning to hear the unmistakable sounds of a skirmish. Following the noise, he found Ladybug in an unfortunate situation.

She was pinned between two enchanted suits of armor, thrashing about as the wizard made his way toward the struggling young woman. Jean Luc inched closer, catching the words as the wizard called out.

"Now, Ladybug, you have lost. Give me your Miraculous!"

Jean Luc could see Ladybug's eyes darting around, much as Marinette's had a few weeks earlier in the bakery, in search of an escape route. Her expression was determined, however.

"Never!" She cried, still struggling in defiance. He took a moment to admire her bravery as he thought through her possible moves; her Lucky Charm was out- she couldn't move enough to throw her yo-yo. The Miraculous cure wouldn't help yet, she still had to capture the akuma. Just then, he noticed the wizard raising his staff to strike her.

"Ladybug, watch out!" He cried, darting in front of her, sword at the ready, easily catching the blow with his weapon. Then he crouched into a familiar defensive posture, eyes narrowed in determination. Behind him, he heard Ladybug gasp.

"What's this?" The wizard asked in surprise, before his expression turned into an evil smirk. "A new plaything, eh?" He asked, raising his staff like a sword. "Let's see what you make of this."

Jean Luc smirked with a confidence he didn't know he had. "_Mage_ before beauty. Be my guest!"

As he leapt into action, Jean Luc was surprised at just what he could do with the sword he held. His body responded instantly, his muscle memory performing outstanding feats he'd never dreamed he'd be able to pull off. Evidently, he'd had some professional training at some point in his past life. He leapt and dodged, parried and thrusted, until finally he was able to knock the staff from the wizard's hand. It rolled away behind him to Ladybug, who had finally been able to throw off her armored guards while the wizard was distracted.

She picked it up, snapping it in half and catching what looked like a lightning-streaked purple butterfly inside her glowing yo-yo. Jean Luc watched her in fascination. He had the feeling that all this was familiar, somehow, but he knew that he never could remember watching her purify an akuma.

Ladybug frowned in concentration as she let the butterfly out. He noticed it had changed from dark purple to white on one of the fore-wings, the rest remaining purple. She sighed, snatching it from the air again with the yo-yo and letting it go again. This time he saw that the back wings and body were purple, the forewings white now. Ladybug growled in frustration, grabbing the butterfly for the third time, then a fourth, then a fifth. Each time a little more of the butterfly was cleansed. Finally finding it pure white, she sighed in relief, calling out her Miraculous Ladybug charm before turning to her would-be partner. The akumatized victim was now nowhere to be seen.

He noticed that she looked…nervous as she looked him over. He attempted to strike a cocky pose, holding out his fist to her. "Bien joue!" He grinned, but he could feel his knees knocking under her scrutiny.

* * *

Ladybug was hard-core freaking out now- only inwardly, of course. Not only had she almost had her Miraculous taken, but she'd been saved. Saved by the boy from the bakery, Jean Luc, who was, clearly, more like Chat Noir than she'd first thought. Honestly, when he'd called out to her, throwing his body between her and the wizard's staff, she fully expected Chat to be the one standing in front of her, complete with fuzzy cat ears and tail. She knew that was illogical; his ring was still firmly set on her finger, after all. But the young man's voice had been that of her lost partner to her ears.

She'd been mesmerized by his skill with a sword in his hand. He'd moved about like a pro, and she had admired his agility. The way he crouched, the way he sat, catlike, the way he jumped and leaped, even the way he held his sword…it was all so familiar. And the cocky pun…and the customary fist bump…

_Ladybug, pull yourself together!_ She snapped at herself. _It can't be him! He's…he's gone. _Her jaw dropped at this thought. So far, she'd done her best to avoid even having the words cross her mind, hoping that if she just believed it hard enough, maybe he'd come back to her. But the rational part of her was sure that, had he been alive, he would have contacted her by now. He would have made himself known somehow. There was nothing else for it. He was most likely gone, and he wasn't coming back. Her eyes filled with tears momentarily before she blinked them away. Now was not the time.

"Th-thank you for your help, sir," she said, extending her hand finally, meeting his knuckles with hers gently. "Another couple of minutes and I'd have been done for."

"No- no problem, Milady. Just doing what anyone would do," he said, his ears turning red in embarrassment at her praise, rubbing the back of his neck uncomfortably.

He saw a sparkle flash through her blue eyes for a moment before it disappeared again- the sparkle he'd been looking for in Marinette's eyes- as she gave him a small smile, shaking her head. "Not just anyone would do what you did…um…" she trailed off, looking at him in question.

"Jean Luc. Jean Luc Chapain," he finished for her. She gazed at him for a beat. She seemed to be concentrating hard, trying to see something in his face.

He remembered the look Marinette had given him a couple weeks prior, the same exact look Ladybug had fixed on him now. He wasn't sure what he kept doing that made those two women look at him like that. He shrugged it off as she began speaking again.

"Well, Jean Luc, thank you for being my good luck charm today. Though, please try to refrain from doing so in the future. Fighting akumas is dangerous," she said, looking concerned.

Jean Luc gave an unapologetic shrug. "Begging your pardon, Milady, but I think I can take care of myself," he said. "After all, _I_ was the one to rescue _you _from this _knight_-mare." He smirked at her, gesturing to the suits of armor.

Ladybug looked incensed. Apparently that hadn't been the right thing to say. "This isn't a joke, Ch- Jean Luc!" _She almost called me Chat Noir,_ his mind registered vaguely. "I just don't want you getting hurt," she said, sounding frustrated. "It's my job to protect the citizens of Paris, and-"

"-and sometimes, it's our job to protect you, Ladybug," he finished for her firmly. Her eyes narrowed and she opened her mouth, but he cut her off, putting a finger to her lips. "No. You can't possibly be expected to protect every person in the city all on your own. You'd crack under the pressure. Hell, _I'd _crack under the pressure, too, if it were me," he stated. "You need someone to be there for you, to have your back. If it can't be Chat Noir, well, I'd hope you'd consider me an adequate second choice."

His eyes pleaded with her, hoping she could feel his sincerity. He wanted- no, he _needed_\- to be there for her, to have her back while she kept everyone safe. He couldn't bear the thought of her facing danger alone. Not when he could do something about it.

Whoa. Maybe he had a crush on Ladybug, too…

He watched as Ladybug's sky blue eyes filled with tears again.

_Nice job, _he thought sarcastically to himself. _You were supposed to help her feel better, not make her cry! Good going, you idiot! _He wanted to smack himself. He was so busy berating himself that he didn't notice Ladybug's face harden, even as a lone tear streamed down her cheek.

"I…I can't," she said determinedly, wiping at her face. "I can't let you put yourself at risk like that. I'm sorry, but please, don't try to help again." She turned quickly on her heel and ran, leaving Jean Luc standing gaping after her, sword still clutched in his hand.


	5. Chapter 5

Marinette finally breathed a sigh of relief as she sank onto the sofa in her apartment, throwing Tikki a cookie as she did so. Plagg zoomed over to sit next to Tikki on the arm of the couch, while Marinette slouched back into the cushions, eyes closed. There was a prickling on the back of her neck as her hair stood on end; it wasn't until she opened her eyes that she noticed Plagg was glaring at her.

"Spots, I don't mean to be rude, but… What. The. _Hell_?" He exploded. She looked at him, slightly offended.

"What? I couldn't let a civilian fight with me against the akumas! He'd…he'd be killed!" She retorted.

"But that's not what this is about, is it Marinette?" Tikki said knowingly. "It's not about him. It's about Chat, isn't it?"

Marinette was dumbfounded. "Tikki, I thought you'd be on my side," she complained. "We can't let him do that!"

Plagg cut her off. "You can't sit there and tell me you don't think he's capable," he said, sounding rather upset. "That kid just beat an akuma, _without_ a suit, _without _any powers, and _without_ the expectation that you'd be able to save him if something went wrong. I'd bet a year's worth of Camembert that he knew the risks and decided to step in anyway."

Marinette was upset now. "I- I can't, Plagg! I- I can't do this again! My Chat was the most amazing man I ever knew! He was brave, loyal, selfless, kind…"

"Jean Luc has all those qualities, too, Marinette!" Tikki piped in. "He can help you if you'd only-"

"-give him a chance?" Marinette finished for her, looking murderous now, water filling her eyes. "Don't you two get it!? I- I loved him! I loved Chat Noir, and I- I didn't realize until it was too late! And n-now h-he's g-gone! A-and he's n-never c-coming back!" Tears were streaming down her face now, and she was struggling to hold back her sobs. She took a deep breath. "If he was alive, he- he would have g-got a message to me somehow. I know that. I c-can't go through t-that again," she finished quietly, squeezing her eyes shut, as though that act alone would make reality disappear. "I c-can't let someone put himself in harms way for me. N-not again."

Silence reigned for some minutes, punctuated only by Marinette's sniffling. After a while, Plagg spoke again.

"I want you to give him the Cat Miraculous," he said confidently. Marinette's jaw dropped.

"No," she said. "I won't do it, Plagg! I can't-"

"Then I will," he retorted, a steely glint in his green eyes. "Spots, that kid was made for this. He's perfect. And maybe you'll learn to see it, too, in time."

Marinette sighed, looking reluctant.

Plagg smirked at her. "Besides, you know he'll just keep jumping to your rescue. He just can't help himself. He'll be much safer with his own superpowers. Isn't that right, Tikki?"

Tikki nodded. There was silence for a moment as Marinette processed this.

"Marinette, he was right when he said you needed someone," Tikki continued. "You need someone you can rely on. Right now, you're relying on no one but yourself, and look where it's gotten you! You haven't talked to any of your friends since Chat disappeared, and your parents are worried sick. Your school work is suffering. You have stress headaches several times a week. You don't smile anymore. You can't bring yourself to talk to the victims after battles comfort them. You haven't had anything you'd consider a good design idea in forever." Tikki sighed sadly. "We just..we just want you to be able to heal, Marinette. Give Jean Luc a chance. He can be there for you, just as- well, he likely won't be able to completely fill Chat's place, but he can at least help some."

Marinette shook her head sadly. "_No one_ will _ever_ be able to fill Chat's place," she said, completely certain. "He was one of a kind." She looked at Plagg and sighed. "Alright, fine. I'll go talk to him and give him the Miraculous."

"YAY! Thank you, Marinette!" Plagg squealed, turning an excited flip in the air, before putting on an unconcerned expression. "I mean, thanks, Spots. Are- are we going to go now, or what?"

* * *

By the time he made it back to the bakery, Jean Luc was beside himself. Who was he kidding? He was no superhero. He just _had_ to go and stick his nose in Ladybug's business, didn't he?

And now she was angry with him, because after he'd stuck her nose in her business, he also didn't know when to shut up. Clearly.

Tom and Sabine were just closing down for the day. They watched him walk sullenly through the door, grabbing a mop to help with tidying up. He hoped he wasn't radiating the negative vibes he was feeling, but evidently, he wasn't as good at hiding it as he'd thought.

"No need, dear," Sabine said warmly with a flicker of concern in her eyes, taking the mop from his hand. "You go on upstairs. We're almost done here."

Jean Luc nodded, trudging unhappily up the two flights of stairs to his room and closing the trap door behind him. He plopped himself heavily into the computer desk chair, spinning it around lazily, eyes fixed on the ceiling. Ladybug swam to the forefront of his mind. He'd just wanted to help, he thought, frustrated. Why would no one let him help?

All at once, he heard a tapping on the skylight. He glared at it for a moment, hoping it would go away. It was probably a bird or something, he decided, going back to his spinning. Unfortunately for him, the tapping sound came again, more insistent this time. Sighing heavily, he got slowly to his feet, wincing as the sore muscles from his fight became known to him (not working out properly since he'd lost his memories was a huge mistake, he now realized). He climbed up to the loft and opened the hatch.

His jaw dropped when Ladybug dropped down into his room- _his room_\- with out seemingly a second thought. She walked over so that they stood only a couple feet from each other. She looked nervous and embarrassed, if he had to guess. He scowled, crossing his arms over his chest, then raised an eyebrow, inviting her to speak.

"I- I'm sorry," she began finally, staring down at her fingers. "I know it wasn't fair of me to have said the things I said earlier. I really appreciate that you came to lend me a hand."

His face softened a fraction, though he still felt put out. "I only wanted to help," he said quietly. He seemed to be saying that a lot lately.

"I know," she said in a very small voice.

There was deafening silence for a moment. "I'm sorry about Chat Noir," Jean Luc finally blurted out. Ladybug looked startled, but he pushed ahead. "It must be hard, trying to do all of this without him." She nodded.

"It is hard," she admitted. "We were friends for a long time. I see him everywhere; places we've been; people we've met; even in you," she finished, looking up at him timidly as a look of shock plastered itself across his features.

"M-me?" He managed, though his voice sounded strangled even to his own ears. Then he realized something. "You…you loved him. Didn't you?" He asked. Ladybug nodded shyly.

"He was the only one to call me 'Milady'," she revealed, looking sad now. "So when you did that earlier, it…it really caught me off guard." He gave her a stricken look.

"I- I'm _so _sorry!" He stuttered. "I-I didn't know. I won't ever do it again, I swear-"

"Hey!" Ladybug cut through his ranting. "Don't worry about it. Call me whatever you like. Chat always did," she said, a fond nostalgic smile turning up the corners of her mouth slightly at whatever memory was playing in her mind at the moment. He said nothing, still feeling horrible at how insensitive he'd been- not that he really had any way of knowing that. Finally she shook her head as though trying to clear it before, meeting his eyes.

"I actually came here because I have something to give you, and someone for you to meet," she said, her expression turning slightly mischievous.

"Someone to meet?" He said, staring around in confusion. "How-?"

"Shh," she said, putting a finger to his lips, mimicking his gesture to her earlier. She put one of her small hands, palm up, near her shoulder. All at once, a tiny black creature with luminous green eyes and minuscule pointed ears like a cat phased out of her hair and came to sit on her hand. His chocolate eyes widened in astonishment before he returned his gaze to her. She grinned at him, and her own eyes sparkled in amusement, the first really true sparkle he'd seen.

"Jean Luc, this is Plagg," she said, holding out her hand towards Jean Luc. Plagg floated off her hand, coming to rest on his shoulder instead.

"Amazing," Jean Luc whispered, studying the tiny creature.

"Plagg, do you want to do the honors?" She asked, shuffling something in her hands, holding it in her closed fist.

"Nah, Spots, you're doing great," Plagg said lazily.

Ladybug rolled her eyes fondly. "Plagg is a kwami. He grants the powers of the Black Cat Miraculous." She cupped her hand around her mouth and said in an exaggerated whisper, "Be warned: he only eats Camembert cheese. Good luck." She giggled as Jean Luc wrinkled his nose, while Plagg looked at her, offended.

"My beautiful Camembert resents the implications of that statement," he said haughtily, putting his feline nose in the air.

Jean Luc could only stare. He had the strangest sense of deja vu; he knew this, too, was familiar. He had to shake himself back to reality as Ladybug began speaking again, holding her closed fist out towards him. She opened it flat to reveal a heavy black ring engraved with a lime green paw print mark. He couldn't hold back a gasp.

"Jean Luc Chapain," she intoned solemnly, "this is the Miraculous of the Black Cat. You will use it for the greater good. Do you accept?"

Jean Luc could only stare, swallowing thickly. "L-ladybug, I… I can't take Chat Noir's ring," he said finally, his voice coming out horse.

Ladybug looked at him sadly. "Plagg wanted you to have it, Jean Luc. And _I_ want you to have it," she added with finality. "Please. We both know it's unlikely that Chat… that Chat will ever come back." He was horrified to see her eyes filling with tears again. She wiped at her eyes quickly and sniffed before continuing. "Sorry. Chat would have wanted this. He would have wanted you to have it," she said, sounding certain. "You do him proud, you know? You're our everyday Chat Noir. It seems only fitting."

"_Thanks for your help. You're our everyday Ladybug." A young Chat smiled at a teenaged Marinette, who blushed, _before the flashback faded.

Jean Luc shook his head to clear it. What was that? He noticed Ladybug's eyes on him.

She offered him a shaky smile, which he returned uneasily, taking the ring from her hand and slipping it on. It turned…a bright, shiny silver, the paw print disappearing from view.

His eyes grew wide, his mouth hanging open as his mind swirled. It was the same ring that Marinette had been wearing that one morning at the bakery! Which meant…Marinette was probably Ladybug, he reasoned. _It makes so much sense_, he thought, _there are so many similarities. _ The hair, the eyes, the pain and sadness over Chat, the ring, reluctance to let people get close…

Ladybug, however, had mistaken his amazement for being over the change in the Miraculous' appearance. "It camouflages itself somewhat," she explained. "So it doesn't draw too much attention to itself. They stay safer that way. For instance, my earrings are just black when I'm a civilian." She pulled her hair back to show her black and red-spotted earrings. _One more thing to check on later,_ Jean Luc thought happily. "I don't think I need to tell you that you can't tell a soul about any of this," she told him seriously with a sideways glance. He pulled himself back.

"Nope, I think I'm set. So," he said excitedly, twisting the ring around his finger in a familiar gesture, "How does it work?"

Ladybug smirked at Plagg, her eyes sparkling briefly with amusement. "I seem to remember Chat showing up at our first battle last time with absolutely _no_ idea what he was doing," she teased the black cat kwami, poking him in the side. Plagg raised an eyebrow and turned away, ignoring her like a real cat until she poked him again. "Care to try again, oh wise kwami?" She asked with a giggle. Plagg rolled his eyes, turning to Jean Luc.

"Ok, here's the deal. In order to transform, you have to say, 'claws out'".

"Claws out?" Jean Luc asked.

"Wait, I wasn't done explainiiiing!" Plagg cried as he was sucked into the ring.

Ladybug nearly fell over in a fit of giggles. "Well, I guess we know what happened last time," she said, laughter still in her voice. But Jean Luc wasn't listening.

* * *

_Fourteen-year-old Chat Noir was running over a rooftop, relishing the feeling of the wind whipping through his golden hair. This was fantastic! _This _was freedom. _

_As he neared the edge, he carefully extended his baton, placing it across the gap and starting to walk along it like a tightrope, his cat-like balance aiding his progress. _

"_I think I'm finally starting to get the hang of this," he said to himself, grinning a little at his success._

_All at once, he heard a yell. One that was getting louder and louder- quickly. He looked up in alarm to see a red and black blur with a flash of sky blue falling towards him. He closed his eyes tightly as the blur crashed into him and felt himself falling down, down…_

_BOING!_

_He opened his eyes to see he was hanging upside down, wrapped up in a string like a cocoon, probably a good four to six feet off the ground. Then something shifted against him, and he focused in on it. It was then that he realized that the red and black blur was actually a girl, probably about his own age, who was now tied up in the string too, facing him. They were practically nose to nose. She was smaller than he, a red and black-spotted one piece super suit hugging her petite form, her black hair pulled back into twin tails. Her big blue eyes stared at him._

"_Well, hey there," he said with a wink, grinning at her. "Nice of you to _drop in_."_

"_I-I'm sorry," she mumbled, "I didn't do it on purpose." She pulled on the string; it loosened from about their bodies, dropping them to the cobblestone below._

* * *

Jean Luc blinked to find Ladybug staring at him in shock, her face white as a sheet. What on earth was going on? He had Chat Noir's memory in his head, and now Ladybug was looking as though she'd seen a ghost.

"What?" he asked weakly, hoping he wasn't going completely insane. Maybe the Miraculous could addle your brain if you were deemed unworthy? He wasn't sure. Maybe he'd better stop watching so many sci-fi/fantasy movies. Ladybug opened her mouth, then snapped it shut again. When she finally spoke, her voice shook as she pointed to him.

"You…you look just like him. Just like…like _my_ Chat."

Now it was his turn to look shocked as he stared down at himself, only now noticing that he was dressed in form-fitting leather. He had claws, a bell, and a belt for a tail, just like the younger Chat Noir he'd seen in the memory…vision…thing. His gaze darted around the room, searching desperately for a mirror. Finally finding one, he ran over to it, Ladybug following a step or two behind. His jaw dropped.

The first thing that caught his attention was that his hair, which had just been brown only minutes ago, was now once again sunshine blond, just like the young Chat's- and just like his own had been, before he'd dyed it. He had two furry black cat ears pinned in his hair, and his cat-like eyes shone green, not chocolate brown.

Overall, he looked just like the younger Chat Noir from the memory-vision, only he'd grown taller and with more muscle. His chest had to have filled out since he was fourteen, after all. Even the suit was the same! In fact, he closely resembled Marinette's drawing he'd seen just weeks ago. Did the magic make all Chat Noir's look the same to help disguise them? It was then he realized that Ladybug was still watching him closely, looking terrified. She rubbed at her temple. Apparently she was getting a headache.

His mind started racing. What should he do? Should he tell her what he'd seen? If he told her everything, how would she react? Would she hate him? Would she be angry? Would she think he was crazy? Because right now, _he_ kind of thought he was crazy. Maybe the memory-vision was a side effect of his memory loss, or of the Miraculous, or…

A shuffle behind him startled him. He whipped around to see Ladybug swiftly retreating toward the balcony.

"Ladybug!" He called, moving quickly to follow and setting a clawed hand on her shoulder just as she reached the railing, taking out her yo-yo. "Where are you going?"

She shook her head, not looking at him. "I…I have to go," she said, her voice wobbling. He could hear the tears in it. "I'm sorry-"

"Are you alright?" he asked, but she just shook her head again.

"Please! I…I can't…"

He removed his hand from her shoulder, nodding sadly. "I- I'm really sorry, Ladybug. And thank you…for this opportunity. I won't let you down."

She didn't acknowledge him further as she quickly swung away


	6. Chapter 6

After Ladybug had disappeared from view, Jean Luc began pacing the length of his room. Everything was happening so fast! In this very day alone, he'd saved Ladybug, had some kind of vision, found out Ladybug's secret identity, and become the new Chat Noir. He'd also made Ladybug run away at the very sight of his familiar, transformed self, he added to himself gloomily. Some Chat Noir he was turning out to be…

He sighed, thinking about the memory-vision. The former Chat Noir had been very, very young when he was first given the Miraculous. It was easy to miss in the fan-vids online because his manners were so confident, charming, and carefree. But in reality, both the young Chat and Ladybug herself had just been kids. That had to be a huge weight to put on someone that young. And he couldn't even fathom how they'd been able to keep it from their families. And what about school? It seemed it would be so much easier for an adult to handle superhero-ing…schedule-wise, at least. There would probably be less people they had to give an accounting to for their time, too.

He wondered again where the vision had come from? If it was a side effect of wearing the Miraculous, Plagg would be sure to know. But the tiny black kwami had disappeared without a trace when he'd activated the ring. Now that he'd thought on it-

His thought were interrupted by a soft knock on his door.

"Jean Luc?" he heard Sabine call through the trap door. "Dinner is ready."

His mind was panicking. He couldn't let her see him like this!

"Uh…thanks, but I'm- I'm not hungry," he called back as he jumped behind the chaise, hoping she wouldn't press the issue, or worse, come up to check on him.

He sighed in relief as he heard her say, "Oh, well, if you change your mind, you can come down whenever you would like. We'll save some for you," before she began to retreat down the stairs.

"Umm.. Alright! Thank you!" he answered, holding his breath until he could no longer make our her receding footsteps. He let it out in a puff. That had been close.

He had to talk to Plagg. How on earth did he get out of this suit? In all the commotion, Ladybug and Plagg had both forgotten to instruct him on that tiny detail, he thought, rolling his eyes. He paced again, trying to think of something. Maybe the transformation would wear off on its own after a while. Or maybe…maybe he would stay stuck in it until he said the password, like before to get the suit on. But he didn't know the password.

Chat Noir sighed, sitting down. He jumped back up again as he realized there was something hanging at the small of his back. Reaching back, he pulled out the silver baton he'd Chat Noir use in the fan videos. He pressed one of the buttons, which revealed a small screen and more buttons- like a phone.

_Perfect,_ he thought, quickly dialing Ladybug. Hopefully she'd pick up and he'd be able to figure out what to do next. But, no luck. The phone went to voicemail. He ended the call, throwing the baton aside in frustration. Great. Now what? Looking around, he made a decision, slipping the baton back into its holder on his back as he climbed up onto the balcony. Without thinking, he nimbly hopped up onto the railing, sitting back in that familiar cat-pose position. He looked out over the lights of Paris, hoping the beautiful scene would calm his racing mind.

Without warning, an unfamiliar beeping sound made him jump so badly that he had to grab onto the rail with his claws to stop himself falling off the rooftop. Climbing back to solid ground on the balcony, he located the source of the beeping- his baton. Evidently, Ladybug was returning his call. He hadn't realized it would be a video call- her eyes and face were red from crying. He steeled himself as he realized her eyes were glistening again at the sight of him, wishing it just did normal phone calls instead. That would make this much easier…

"Hi, Ladybug," he said timidly. "Is…is this a bad time?"

She just shrugged, blinking the tears away. "It's fine Ki-, um…Chat Noir," she mumbled, before taking a breath to steady herself. "Did you need something?"

He looked at her sheepishly. "Yeah, uh…would you mind telling me how.. how to get the suit off?" Her eyes widened for a moment, and after a split-second, his did, too. "Not- not like that!" he spluttered. "I mean, is there a password or something to de-transform? I really need to talk to Plagg." Her face relaxed slightly in relief.

"O-of course. Your de-transformation phrase is, 'Claws in.' Don't say it until you're ready to de-transform though," she gave him a look that he supposed she meant to be a smile, but it never quite managed to get there. He nodded.

"Got it," he replied, looking her over once more. She really looked worse for the wear. "Are you sure you're alright Mi- Ladybug?" he asked, tripping over former-Chat's pet name for his Lady before correcting himself.

She shrugged tiredly. "I already got the akuma Hawkmoth sent for me, so I should be safe enough now." Chat Noir's eyes widened. He was surprised she was so blasé about an akuma tailing her. He put on a determined expression.

"Ladybug-"

"Good night, Chat Noir," she cut him off shortly, quickly ending the call. A second later left him staring dumbly at his baton screen.

* * *

Great. So now she was back to refusing his help. And she was being tailed by akumas. And if she got turned, Paris was doomed. He sighed as he stowed his baton, equal parts anger, frustration, and annoyance flooded through him, along with overtones of concern for her well-being. She really needed to be more careful… and he really should be out there with her. He roughly shoved that idea away. His gut was telling him that would probably be more likely to get him punched in the face than actually help Ladybug feel better at the moment.

"Claws in," he intoned, and a moment later, Plagg was floating next to him, turning excited flips in the air. He caught sight of his reflection- his hair was once again brown. Plagg was looking at him joyfully, quivering in excitement. That seemed an odd reaction… He suddenly remembered why he'd wanted to see the tiny cat got in the first place.

"Plagg," he asked quickly, "how likely is it that I saw a memory that belonged to a different Chosen?" Plagg's eyes widened a moment -clearly, that's not what he'd been expecting- before they narrowed in thought.

"I can't recall that ever happening before," he said finally. "I mean, I remember everything each Chosen sees while transformed, but I can't communicate those memories to other Chosens while transformed that I'm aware of."

Jean Luc collapsed to his knees, dropping his glasses on the floor in front of him and putting his head in his hands, trying to figure it all out. If it wasn't Plagg's memory, and it wasn't a different Chat Noir's memory…that could only mean…

"_I'm_ Chat Noir," he whispered aloud, his wide eyes trained on the floor. "It was _my_ memory."

"Yes!" Plagg squealed, unable to contain himself any longer. "You're alive! …," He bubbled incoherently, "I'm so glad you're alright!" He zoomed toward his Chosen's face, hugging his nose tightly. "Your transformation showed your true self, and…" Jean Luc was taken aback as Plagg rambled on in his happiness and relief. Jean Luc tuned him out for a moment.

He was Chat Noir. The one who'd been missing all this time.

He'd left his Lady alone! _He_ was the Chat Noir who'd left Ladybug to fight the villains without him! He knew that he'd had no way to know that he was supposed to be helping her, but it didn't stop him from being angry with himself. A thought struck him.

"Wait. Plagg, you said my transformation reflects my true self. That's how you recognized me?" Plagg nodded his tiny head.

"The transformation shows you who and what you really are. Each element of it, from the details on your costume to your hair and eyes shows a bit about yourself. It will always show that true self, even if you…dye or cut your hair, for example," the kwami explained. He zoomed circles around Jean Luc's head. "Hey, you got any Camembert? I'm starving!"

Jean Luc looked at him, exasperated. "You really want to talk about food at a time like this? Really?"

Plagg nodded, a sneaky look stealing over his face. "I'd say you owe me, … ," green bubbles spewed from his mouth again, and he stared at them, disgruntled, cutting himself off. "I'd say you owe me for the past few months being worried sick about you _and_ having to watch over your girlfriend so she didn't get herself akumatized, kid," he finished, looking proud of himself.

Jean Luc's eyes narrowed. "She's not my girlfriend. And-"

"That's what you said last time," Plagg muttered, though Jean Luc heard every word. He glared at Plagg, but continued.

"And…what's with the bubbles?" This time, Plagg heaved a heavy sigh, a sad look flashing across his tiny features.

"A kwami can only speak their Chosen's name to people who already know it. I tried to call you by your real name, but the kwami magic prevents me from saying your name…even to you, since you still don't know your real name." The kwami paused for a moment before he smirked. "Now…about my cheese…"

* * *

When he entered the main living area, Jean Luc was not surprised to see that Tom and Sabine were cuddled up on the couch watching a movie. Sabine looked up as he came in.

"Jean Luc! There you are, dear. Are you feeling better?"

Oh. Yeah. He'd been in a horrible mood when he'd come home. Right.

"Yes Mad- um…Sabine. I'm doing a little better," he replied, giving her a small smile.

She stood and walked to where he stood. "Can I get you anything? You skipped dinner."

He shook his head. "I'll just grab something to take back upstairs. Don't let me interrupt." He gathered a plate full of leftover spinach quiche from dinner, a croissant, some cheese for Plagg- there wasn't any Camembert, but he found some Brie instead-, and a couple cookies. It was then that he noticed Sabine still watching him, a smirk on her face.

"What?" he asked innocently, though perhaps not innocently enough.

"Please, dear, I wasn't born yesterday," she deadpanned. Then she smiled, as though at some inside joke, then she leaned in to whisper, "You know, if you want to have a girlfriend over, you don't have to sneak her in. We don't mind."

His cheeks and ears turned bright red. "N-no, I don't…What I mean is…" he spluttered incoherently. Sabine just smiled, turning back to her husband and the movie without another word. He wondered vaguely what she'd think if she knew that the 'girlfriend' in question was her own daughter? Or that she was a superhero? Or that she wasn't technically his girlfriend at all?

* * *

Marinette was finally home. She had alternated between running the rooftops and sitting gazing out over the lights on the Seine, trying to calm her racing mind and jittery feelings, for hours. She had been thrown off when she saw Jean Luc looking exactly the same as her Chat Noir. Even his voice sounded the same! She couldn't believe her eyes- she was sure that the magic or her own mind were playing tricks on her.

Eventually, she'd tired herself out, almost so much that she couldn't get herself upright enough to make it home. She'd dropped into bed wearily.

"Marinette!" Tikki squeaked excitedly.

"Not now, Tikki," she moaned, rolling over and putting her pillow over her head.

"But Marinette-"

"Not. Now!" she repeated in frustration. Tikki sighed, looking offended, before zooming off to find a cookie and settle down for the night.

Marinette tossed and turned for what seemed like forever. It wasn't fair, she thought. Just as she was beginning to accept that Chat was gone for good, the newbie with his powers basically transforms into him in front of her. How are things like that even allowed? If only his costume were different, or his hair color stayed brown. Something- anything- to denote that Chat Noir wasn't _her_ Chaton. But there wasn't. Jean Luc's look in costume was a purr-fect match.

She rolled her eyes, chastising herself for talking like Chat inside her own head, before attempting to settle down again. It was what seemed like several more hours before Marinette was finally able to drift into slumber.

* * *

Jean Luc was in a similar position in that sleep was evading him. Now that he knew he was the missing Chat Noir, he supposed he should reveal himself to Ladybug. Like, yesterday. She needed to know…and yet, he wasn't excited to see her reaction when he told her. What if she was angry? What if she blamed him for leaving her? He certainly blamed himself, even though he knew that was irrational. He hated that his Lady had been hurting because he'd not even known who he was, let alone that he had any responsibilities as a superhero!

He also knew he would have a hard time getting her to listen if he tried to tell her while dressed in his Chat suit- she had seemed pretty shaken seeing him in it before. Not that he could blame her. Too many memories, most likely.

Where should he start? What should he say to her?

His exhausted mind finally gave up after a couple of hours. He decided he would try to come to a decision in the morning.

* * *

As it turned out, two days passed before Jean Luc dared make a move to contact Ladybug again. He was terrified that she would be furious with him for leaving her; he didn't know exactly what they had been to each other before, but he knew it would kill him to have her cut off contact with him.

"Kid," Plagg tried to reason with him on the second evening after Ladybug's last visit, "You have to tell her! The worst thing that could happen is for this to come out during a battle somehow. Neither of you can afford to be distracted in those moments! Just…just take care of the issue!" He finished, looking frustrated.

Jean Luc sighed. "You're right, Plagg. I just…I don't want her to be mad at me," he said in a very small voice.

Plagg shot him a look that clearly said, _Really?_ "Get used to the idea, kid; she's _going_ to be mad at you," he said bluntly. Jean Luc's face fell. "But don't worry. She'll get over it. She's missed you a lot, you know. She'll come around."

Jean Luc looked at his tiny kwami skeptically. "You really think so?" he asked. He could hear the hope in his voice, wondering exactly how desperate that made him…

Plagg smirked. "I know so. Tikki would probably kill me if she knew I told you any of this. But …," he cut himself off as bubbles flew from his mouth before he corrected himself, "Ladybug was a wreck for the past almost seven months. She talked about you all the time, and cried herself to sleep more nights than not. It got rather boring, actually," he said, picking at his tiny claws unconcernedly.

"Tikki?" Jean Luc asked, frowning.

"Ladybug's kwami. She's super big on rules. She'd probably go off on me about 'invasion of privacy' or some such nonsense."

Jean Luc absorbed this silently, twisting his familiar ring around his finger in agitation. Finally, he came to a decision; it was now or never.

"Plagg, claws out!"

* * *

Marinette was just getting home from her last design class when Tikki's voice sounded excitedly from her bag.

"Marinette! There's a message from Chat Noir!"

Marinette's heart skipped a beat. "Wh-what? That's impossible…"

Tikki wilted, realizing where Marinette's mind must have gone. In the past couple of days, despite Tiki's repeated attempts to help Marinette understand what she, Tikki, knew about Jean Luc, she hadn't gotten any farther than she had the other night. She'd finally stopped trying, realizing that without a proper explanation, Marinette would likely get angry and fly off the handle before understanding the whole story. And not even Tikki knew what the whole story was.

"No, Marinette, from Jean Luc. On your bug phone," she said. Marinette said nothing, trying to get her head around this.

"We're going to have to start calling Jean Luc's version of Chat something else," the aspiring designer finally muttered to herself. "I don't know how much more of this I can take."

She set down her things as Tikki studied her in concern, then called out half-heartedly, "Tikki, spots on."

Sitting down on her sofa, yo-yo in hand, she played the message. Chat's familiar face staticked into view in the video message. Her heart skipped another beat.

"Hey Mi- Ladybug," he said awkwardly, rubbing the back of his neck in his nervousness. "I- uh…I had something I needed to talk to you about. It's urgent, but not an emergency…" he trailed off with a sigh, looking helplessly around his room. "I sound like an idiot," he muttered. "Believe it or not, this is the ninth time I've tried to record this. I promised myself I would finish this one." Chat Noir stared back into the camera, his eyes pleading. "Please meet me here at the bakery when you are free. I'm around all night, or if tonight isn't convenient, I can meet you on my lunch break tomorrow. But please, I really need to talk."

The picture flickered out. Ladybug released her transformation, leaving a bewildered-looking Marinette sitting on the couch, staring off into space.

"I wonder what's going on?" she wondered out loud. Tikki thought she had a pretty good idea what the topic of conversation was going to be.

"Why don't you go on and find out?" Tikki said simply. "It wouldn't be a good idea to keep him waiting. Maybe he's found something important." Marinette looked a little dazed, but nodded. When she'd finally summoned up enough courage, she transformed, swinging quickly out of her balcony window.


	7. Chapter 7

Jean Luc was pacing his room, his anxiety building. He hoped she would come. He needed her to come. But he was afraid that, all things considering, it was much more likely that she wouldn't come. He was hoping everything would go according to plan. But he was afraid that, again, it was much more likely that things would turn sour; and it definitely could, at a moment's notice.

All at once, he heard a soft tapping on the skylight. He nearly upended a stack of papers on the desk in his haste to let her in.

"L-ladybug!" He stuttered, not being able to help shooting her a wide grin that lit up his whole face. "You came!"

She merely nodded. Her expression was guarded, her eyes darting around as though expecting trouble. His grin faded, and he schooled his expression into one of forced calm.

"Please, have a seat," he invited, gesturing toward the chaise while he scooted his usual computer desk chair closer so they could face each other. "Do you want anything to eat, or drink? I can go grab-"

"Thanks, but I'm fine," she interrupted him. "So…?"

Apparently Ladybug had had enough of pleasantries and was ready to get down to business. He sat stalk-straight in his chair, his back stiff. He was hoping they'd be able to talk normally for a bit first, as he hadn't exactly figured out how to break this to her gently. Anyway, where should he start? His mind swirled, thoughts moving in and out of his conscious thought process at an alarming rate, until…

"Chat Noir!" He blurted suddenly. "I saw- I saw Chat Noir. In…in my head. The other day."

"What?!" Ladybug gasped, looking as though someone had hit her over the head with an anvil. He grimaced. That definitely hadn't been what he'd wanted to lead with. He took a deep breath, and after that, the words just spilled out.

"I saw the day he met you," he said nervously. "You were around fourteen or fifteen years old probably. You fell out of the sky and landed on him, wrapping you both up in your yo-yo string. And he said something like -"

"-nice of you to drop in," they finished together, Ladybug in a whisper.

"Oh…my…" Ladybug was pacing, holding her head in her hands and rubbing her forehead worriedly. Ordinarily, the familiarity of her gesture would have made him smile since it gave him more evidence to link Ladybug to Marinette, but as it was, he could only watch in concern at her stress. Jean Luc wanted to reach out to her, but he wasn't sure it would help. After all, he _was_ the cause of all this.

"There's something else," he continued. His heart, already beating rapidly, felt like it was now attempting to burst free of his chest. Ladybug's eyes flickered to him, willing him to continue.

"I- I'm Chat Noir," he said in a voice so soft it was almost a whisper. "The one from before."

"What?" Ladybug asked, at him in shock. He didn't look up for a moment as he slowly took off his glasses and his brown contacts, finally meeting her eyes with his true emerald green ones. She gasped. Her eyes darted quickly about; he recognized her expression of looking for an escape route, the same one Marinette had used that day with her parents. She was going to run again, he realized. On impulse, he quickly seized her hand, grasping it tightly just as she began to move away. _Thank goodness for cat-like reflexes, _he thought wryly.

"Ladybug, please. Promise you'll let me explain," he begged. He held his breath as she stared at him intensely, then nodded. He breathed a sigh of relief, making as if to release her hand, but she held onto it even more tightly, as though to reassure herself this was real. Jean Luc made himself comfortable on the floor before he gestured for her to sit down, and after a moment, she did, settling into a crosslegged position across from him still clinging to his hand. She still looked terrified.

Slowly and carefully, he explained everything he could remember since he woke that day next to the Seine. He pulled out his phone and searched the picture of himself he'd seen on the billboard that day, showing her how he'd realized everyone in Paris would know who he was, except for himself. He explained how he'd disguised himself and gotten a job, hoping to blend in long enough to find out who he was and what had happened to him without interference.

When he'd finished telling his (admittedly short) life history, he found Ladybug still gaping at him. He didn't say anything at first, but his curiosity overcame him when she snatched his phone, comparing the photo and his face until she saw what she was looking for. Her shocked expression became, if it was possible, even more pronounced.

"What?" He asked. Ladybug just shook her head, her jaw all but dragging on the floor. Finally, she found her voice.

"You- You're not _just_ a model," she said, looking awestruck. "Your name is really Adrien Agreste, and you're _only_ one of the most famous fashion models in all of Paris!"

* * *

Jean Luc- Adrien- just sat there in shock, staring at Ladybug. He, the nobody kid who'd been hiding away and working in a bakery for months, was a famous fashion model! One of _the _most famous, if what Ladybug said was true. And Chat Noir.

It was so hard to sort through his head right now, he thought vaguely. Everything was happening so fast. And then, all intelligent thought ceased as Ladybug launched herself at him in a hug, landing on top of him as she knocked him onto his back. She squeezed him tightly, and it was then that he noticed she was sobbing into his chest. He rubbed her back, lying still so as not to startle her.

"It's alright, Milady," he said softly. "It's alright." He knew in his head that he should probably be uncomfortable about her proximity since he couldn't remember knowing Ladybug for real, but his instincts were telling him that it was alright; that _this_ was right. Her tears finally slowed, but she made no move to shift from his embrace.

"I-I thought you were dead," she whispered finally against his neck. He shivered a little at her warm breath on his skin. He pushed himself up again into a sitting position- it wasn't that difficult, even with her on top of him; she was extremely light- gathering her into his chest. A smirk spread over his features as she squeaked in surprise, throwing her arms around his neck as he moved.

"You'll have to try harder than that to be rid of me, Milady," he whispered back. "I'm not going anywhere."

He stared down at her, his heart full of happiness, just enjoying the feeling of her closeness. As he did so, he could see it on her face as something crossed her mind. Her blazing eyes narrowed and she pushed herself out of his lap.

"You stupid cat!," she cried, punching his arm. His eyes widened in surprise and shock as his hand involuntarily flew to cover the spot. From somewhere in the room, he thought he could hear Plagg snicker.

"Ouch! What the-?"

"You can't just throw yourself in the line of fire!" she continued. "You can't do that! You- you nearly got yourself killed, and -"

"Milady," he said calmly, putting his hands on her shoulders. Her shoulders drooped, and all at once, it was as if the fire had gone from her soul. A single tear dripped down her face as she gazed at the floor. He tilted her chin up to look at him, gently wiping the tear away with his thumb.

"Hey. It's a little unfair to scold me when I don't actually remember what you're talking about, don't you think?" He asked with a small smile. "Though, I can't bring myself to feel sorry for saving you. I saw the fan vids. You're the one who makes everything right again, after all. That's what I'm there for- to protect you so that you can save Paris."

"I just…I don't want you to get hurt. Again. Because of me." Ladybug sighed, looking down as she twisted a pigtail awkwardly.

Her mind began racing. She couldn't let him do that again. She couldn't lose him. She didn't want to live without him. She wasn't sure if she could, anyway.

"Hey," He cut off her internal rambling, reaching out to run his hands along her upper arms in a comforting gesture, trying to get her to meet his eyes. "Don't worry, Milady. We'll figure it out. Us against the world."

* * *

_Another memory swirled into focus. _

_Teenage Adrien was in what looked to be a sewer pipe, Plagg floating next to him, eating a piece of cheese._

"_Do you think there's any hope, Chat?" Ladybug's voice sounded afraid from around the corner. They must have both been letting their kwamis recharge. "We failed! Everyone in Paris is a slave to Hawkmoth, and we're the only ones left! We're going to be massively outnumbered."_

_Adrien turned to the wall, putting a hand to it as though to reach out to her. "Then, let's go back to what's always worked- you and me against the world, Milady! Like it's always been!"_

* * *

His mind refocused on the present, where Ladybug was searching his face again, as though still looking for reassurance that he and her Chat were one and the same.

"Chat said that before, you know," she said finally, a shaky smile shining through.

Adrien nodded, running a hand through his brunette-dyed hair. "I know. I- I think more of my memories are coming back," he admitted. "I saw that day in the sewers. We were hiding from an Hawkmoth's minions- hiding from all of Paris, to be precise."

Ladybug smiled. "That's great news," she said. "A-about your memories. Have you had any since the other day? When I was here last?"

He shook his head, looking troubled..

"All of the ones so far though seem to center on you, though," he mused, before realizing what he'd said. "Not…not that that's a bad thing," he tried to cover for himself. "It probably shows how big a part of my life you were since before…well, before I can remember." Ladybug turned red. "Just…I still don't have any memories of my family."

Ladybug turned her gaze on him. "Well, I know that your father is basically the most famous fashion designer in the world, but not much else." She sat quietly for a moment, then he could practically see the lightbulb ignite in her head. "I'm sure that, now that we know your real name, we can just search you on the Internet. It won't be that hard, there's got to be _tons_ of stuff about you. Come on!" She moved to the computer desk chair, deftly typing in the password to Marinette's workstation without a second thought.

_Yet another piece of evidence, _Adrien thought happily.

Opening the web browser, they quickly found what they were looking for- Adrien Agreste had his own wiki page. Ladybug quickly scanned the screen, resting her chin in her hand as she propped her elbow on the table. Adrien peered over her shoulder, his emerald eyes bright with curiosity.

"Says here that you have been modeling for Agreste Fashions for almost fifteen years, since you turned ten," she stated, still skimming. "You were homeschooled… Oh! You won several national competitions for fencing- guess that explains your swordsmanship the other day. You got an MBA from ESCP four years ago…wow! You graduated early!" She remarked in surprise. "You've helped in diplomatic negotiations with the Chinese ambassadors a few times due to your mastery of the language…that's impressive." All of these points had pictures attached, proving their authenticity.

She continued reading silently, suddenly gazing at him in concern. He'd been mesmerized by the photos, so he hadn't caught up to where she was reading.

"What?" He asked, feeling a little alarmed.

"It…it says your mother, Emilie Agreste, disappeared. About ten years ago, now," she said quietly. "Your father, Gabriel, has been rarely seen in public since that time. And you apparently don't have any brothers or sisters."

Adrien frowned. The picture being painted of his past life was definitely not a happy one. Homeschooled? Losing his mother? Modeling since he was young for his father, who never left the house? It all sounded…amazingly lonely.

Ladybug continued. "You're not known to be dating anyone at this time, though sources say you were dating Chloe Bourgeious a few years ago. You know, the ex-mayor's daughter," she said, making a face.

Apparently, Ladybug and Chloe did not get along.

Finishing the article, Ladybug closed the wiki, instead opening other news stories relating to Adrien. "Here's something- your father officially named you a missing person about a month after that battle where you lost your memories. I wonder why it took him so long?" She wondered aloud. "Now that we're mentioning this, I sort of remember that. It was all over school that Adrien Agreste was missing." She looked thoughtful. "The theories ranged from kidnapping for ransom, to suicide, to you eloping with some girl your father would never approve of and going off grid," she rambled, blushing a little. "I was a little…preoccupied, though, so I was not really paying much attention."

She kept searching, pulling up a tabloid article. "This one is speculating that you had a fight with your father, just a week or so before your memories were wiped," she said. "Apparently, you publicly quit modeling and, quote, 'stormed from the building'." She grimaced at the article. "Not sure how much truth there is here- it _is_ a tabloid, after all- but they may have actually been close. It would explain why your father didn't report you missing sooner- he may have expected you not to contact him for quite some time if you'd had a row."

Suddenly, another memory jumped to the forefront.

* * *

"_Adrien, you must find a date for the fashion gala next week," his father commanded, looking down his nose at his son. The man had white blond hair and cold, gray eyes. His clothes were immaculate as usual. He was speaking to Adrien over a video call. Adrien was out at a photoshoot at the studio, waiting his turn to be fitted one last time before the photos were taken. _

"_As the face of Agreste Fashions, it is your duty to set an example. At your age, it isn't proper for you to turn up to the event without a lady on your arm," he was saying._

_Adrien's green eyes narrowed. "But Father, I still don't know anyone well enough to want to ask them for a date. Something that is entirely _not_ my decision, I might add" he protested. "You know that, if I had my way, I'd have been out meeting people, going to school and university classes on campus like everyone else. I would have had the opportunity to at least know some people that way."_

_His father was unwilling to back down. "Adrien. You _will_ find yourself a date, or I will find one for you. And my choice will be Miss Bourgeious."_

_Adrien bit back a groan. "Father, you _know_ that didn't go well last time," he tried to reason with him. "Chloe thought she owned me for _months_ after the last time you had me ask her out." He'd just be trading one controlling person in his life for another, if he hooked up with Chloe._

"_Then, perhaps Miss Rossi," his father retorted, undeterred. Adrien was stunned._

"_Lila?" He said, wrinkling his nose in disgust. The girl had hung herself all over him repeatedly at modeling gigs. She was one of his father's top female models, so they often got paired together for photoshoots. Nothing he tried worked; he'd asked her to stop, physically tried to remove her from his person, and tried telling his father, but to no avail. She would just make up an excuse to be touching him, sitting close to him, running her hand up his arm, or whatever else he happened to complain about. For some reason, everyone always believed her over him, no matter what he said. "Lila is…manipulative, Father. I don't think that would ever work out."_

_But his father appeared to be tuning him out. _Uh oh, _he thought. That was never good._

"_Now that I think on it again, I believe Miss Bourgeious to be the best option," he said finally. "She's a fashionable young lady, and she's always liked you very much. Not to mention, she has what it takes to be intimately connected with a prominent fashion house. And while Miss Rossi is…familiar…she lacks a certain degree of…" Gabriel trailed off, searching for words._

"_Class?" Adrien suggested, inwardly grinning. "Decorum?"_

"_Precisely." Gabriel stroked his chin thoughtfully. "No, Adrien, I've changed my mind. You _will_ take Miss Bourgeious to the fashion gala, and then afterwards, you will get to know her better. She will be a perfect life partner for you."_

_Adrien gaped at him, not even bothering to try to be dignified about it. "You've got to be kit- kidding me!" He burst out._

_It took all his self control not to smack himself. He'd just addressed his father extremely casually, so he was probably already going be in for a reprimand. But heaven forbid he use a cat pun in front of his father- the man would probably flat-out disown him. He mentally commanded Chat Noir to stay far away from the situation. Adrien had to be the one to deal with this._

"_Why would I be? It's a prudent match for both of you."_

"_Except that she's a witch," Adrien muttered under his breath, rolling his eyes. Gabriel narrowed his eyes dangerously. _

"_What was that?"_

"_Nothing…" Adrien took a deep breath in an attempt to keep his temper. "Father, please reconsider. Chloe and I would never be happy together. It would be a total ca- a total disaster!" _Dammit! _ He thought. _Chat! What did I just say?!

"_Enough, Adrien," Gabriel cut him off. "You will be seriously dating Miss Bourgeious, beginning right after the gala. That is final."_

_Adrien's expression turned hard and cold, matching Gabriel's in every aspect. A cold fire burned in his eyes. He couldn't very well tell his father that he was in love with Ladybug, but he couldn't just sit by and let his father set him up with Chloe_,_ of all people._

"_No." Adrien said quietly. "I will not." He glared at the screen bearing his father's face. "I don't love Chloe. Or Lila, for that matter. I will _not_ be asking either of them to the gala. I will_ not _become anyone's life partner. And I will_ not _be here for work tomorrow. Or _ever. Again._"_

_And with that, he disconnected the call, gathered his things, and marched out of the building, still wearing his half-finished photoshoot costume._

* * *

Ladybug watched in concern as Adrien staggered to the chaise, sitting down heavily.

"Another memory?" She asked anxiously as he shakily ran a hand through his hair. When he nodded, she approached him slowly, taking a seat beside him.

"My father," he said in explanation. "He- he tried to force me to start a relationship with Chloe Bourgeious. A- a long-term romantic partnership," he said. Ladybug looked scandalized. "That's why we fought. He insisted, I refused." He looked slightly ashamed of himself. "Honestly, the accounts of quote, 'storming from the building' were pretty spot-on."

Ladybug stared into the distance. "Your father tried to…essentially…arrange your marriage?" She asked, looking thunderstruck. "To that…that…_witch? _What kind of parent _does_ something like that? What are we, living in the 1100's?"

Adrien let out a strangled laugh, and it was only then that she realized she'd said all of that out loud. Her face turned as bright red as her suit, coving her gaping mouth with her hands.

"Oh, crap! I'm sorry, I…" She stopped in confusion as he started to laugh. Not that weird, strangled sound he'd made earlier, but a real, genuine laugh. She realized had never heard Chat really laugh before, not in all the years she'd known him. It was a bright, infectious sound, and Ladybug found she quite loved hearing it. After a moment, she joined him. Once they'd gotten a hold of themselves, he grinned at her.

"Thanks, Ladybug. I really needed that," he said with a sigh, taking her hand and intertwining his fingers in hers. She blushed again. "And no, I don't mind what you said. It was better than what I was thinking, anyway," he chuckled again. Then he smirked at her, leaning in closer, his emerald eyes sparkling with mirth. "Between you and me, the best part of that incident was when I almost slipped up and started talking like Chat Noir in front of my father." Ladybug's eyes widened in horror.

"You didn't," she breathed. Everyone in the fashion world knew how scary Gabriel Agreste was when he was angry. He nodded mischievously.

"Almost. It was a close call. He starts in with this, 'you will take Miss Bourgeious as your life partner,' and the Chat Noir in my head yells out, 'You've got to be _kitten_ me'!"

Ladybug snorted with laughter again, rolling her eyes.

"Wait, it gets better. He keeps on listing off reasons why it would be a profitable match, and then when I tried to protest, the Chat part of my head chimes in with, 'It would be a total _cat_-astrophe!' I was lucky to get out of there with my hide intact!"

"And here I was, just getting used having to not having to listen to the cat puns all the time…" she sighed in fake annoyance.

"Aww, Milady, you know you missed me," he smirked at her, squeezing her hand. Her eyes sparkled as she looked at him.

"You have no idea how much," she said seriously, leaning into his chest contentedly.


	8. Chapter 8

Adrien's heart leapt. He pulled his Lady tighter into his side happily. They sat in comfortable silence for a few moments, content to just be for a while. Ladybug sat upright after a bit.

"What are you going to do now?" She asked him, looking him in the eye. He raised an eyebrow.

"About…?"

"About your identity," she explained. "Now that you know who you are, are you going to go back to your father and your job? Or are you going to stay here and keep pretending to be Jean Luc? Or tell my folks your real identity and stay here anyway?"

His brow furrowed in thought. That really was the question, wasn't it? Then, all at once, he realized what she'd said…and that her face was turning purple. He tightened his grip on her.

"It's alright, Milady," he said softly. "I already know who you are." Her sky-colored eyes widened in shock.

"You…you already knew? But- but how?"

He pointed to the ring on his right hand. "I noticed it that day when you dropped your drawings. I think my subconscious recognized it," he explained. "When you gave it to me, everything just…clicked into place. All the similarities."

She groaned, burying her face in her hands. "You weren't supposed to know," she mumbled. "I'm such a failure… You must be so disappointed." Her head snapped up, her eyes wide. "This could put you in danger! Oh gosh…"

"More danger than you knowing _my _identity?" He asked dryly. She still looked panicked, tears filling her eyes. He shifted to kneel in front of her, taking her hands in his. "Don't worry, Little Bug. I can take care of myself, and now I have Plagg to help keep me safe. Besides, we'll be able to help protect each other's identities, now that we both know." He looked at her earnestly. "It's likely the only reason I figured it out is because I'm _your_ Chat Noir. I probably wouldn't have noticed the ring otherwise."

Ladybug sighed. She looked skeptical, and still very worried. Not really knowing how to help, he tentatively pulled her into a hug. She tensed for a moment in surprise, then relaxed into his chest.

"Tikki, spots off," he heard her mumble. He took a step back as pink bubbles of magic washed over her. A second later, a defeated-looking Marinette appeared in her place, handing over a cookie to a tiny red creature who floated in the air just as Plagg had.

"Je- Adrien, this is Tikki," she said. "You've met before," she added.

* * *

_A new memory floated into his mind._

_Adrien was running. Chaos reigned everywhere he looked. He'd been at a photoshoot at the Trocadero when a sentimonster attacked, aided and abetted by an akuma. He had tried to transform only to remember that he'd been required to remove his ring for the shoot, leaving it in his bag in the car. _

_All at once, he was struck from behind by a beam of purple light, which transformed his look. Now, his form was clearly female, with pink hair done up in twin buns that would put Princess Leia's to shame, a dress, and very tall platform heels, to add insult to injury. He righted himself and continued carefully on his way so as not to twist an ankle in those stupid shoes. He had to find Plagg so he could help put a stop to all this! Not to mention, ditch the heels._

_He finally found his car, dumped upside down by the sentimonster at some point since the fight began. "Plagg! Plagg!" He called, but Plagg and his ring were nowhere to be seen. Just then, he caught sight of a slight figure dressed in black leather. _What the-?_ He thought. Had someone else found Plagg?_

_Suddenly, he caught sight of a tiny red creature floating in midair in front of him. "Are you Chat Noir?" The creature asked in worry. He nodded, disconcerted as his giant pink hair buns swayed on top of his head. "There's been a mix-up," the red creature said, handing him a pair of spotted earrings._

"_You're Ladybug's kwami?" He asked. She nodded. _

"_I'm Tikki. Plagg should be with Ladybug, don't worry. To transform, say 'spots on'." Tikki instructed as he pinned the earrings to his shirt._

"_Right," he said, "Tikki, spots on!" Instantly, his body was covered in a thin, stretchy, red material covered in black polka dots. His chest bore an armored plate, and there was a circular shield attached to his back._

_He pulled out his yo-yo, twirling it to deflect the purple beams as he ran toward the leather-clad figure. She was petite, her suit accented with lime green detailing. The typical fuzzy black cat ears stuck up out of her black hair, which was pulled into a braid so long it looked like a tail as it swished behind her. There was no doubt this was his Lady. She was stunning in his suit; he noticed his face becoming uncomfortably hot and cleared his throat awkwardly. As he watched, she deftly swung the silver staff so the purple light ricocheted off in another direction. It was then that she caught sight of him._

"_Hey Buga-boy, nice of you to finally show up," she remarked with a signature Chat smirk. _

_He grinned at her. Who knew Ladybug was so sassy? "The pleasure is mine, Milady Noire."_

* * *

He shook his head to clear it. Tikki was floating in front of him.

"It's an honor to meet you again, Tikki," he said, shaking her tiny paw with an index finger. "Though, I have to say I think I prefer these circumstances."

"You remember?" Tikki squeaked excitedly. He grinned and nodded.

"I remember. That Miraculous switch-up thing was crazy awesome! But, it's much nicer to make new friends when not having an akuma battle." He turned back to look at Marinette. She looked exhausted without her mask, he noticed. He looked around, startled to find the sky outside already spangled with stars; it was much later than he'd thought.

"Hey Bugaboo, what do you say I go grab us something to eat, and then you can go home for the evening. You look dead on your feet," he suggested. She quirked a small smile, leaning back on the chaise.

"I didn't know if I'd ever hear you call me that again," she said happily. "I begged you time after time not to call me Bugaboo."

"Good thing cats never listen," Adrien teased. "Now. About dinner…"

"Sure," she butted in. "Just don't forget your contacts and glasses, unless you want to do all the big reveals in one night."

Adrien grinned at her, shaking his head. "I think I've had enough excitement for one day." He replaced his contacts and oval spectacles before creeping down, cat-like, through the trap door.

* * *

Marinette let her mind wander as she waited for Adrien to return to her- his- room. Might as well make plans while she waited, she decided.

She ran over everything she'd learned about her Chat Noir, intending to find a solution to his identity problem. He was the definition of perfect- strong, kind, confident, gentle, skilled, brilliant, and, if she was being honest, the most handsome man she'd ever seen. It left her feeling…pretty inadequate, actually. She loved him, but she could never measure up. Especially not now. She was the world's biggest failure as a superhero. What would he see in her?

She was so lost in her head, she didn't hear Adrien return.

"Hey. You ok?" His voice sounded from the other side of the room. She looked up to see Adrien looking at her in concern.

She blushed a little. "F-fine," she said.

Marinette looked at him as his expression turned unreadable, wondering what he was thinking, before shifting her gaze to her twisting fingers. She couldn't deny how strongly she felt for him as she pondered his concern for her. But there was no way. She was a clumsy klutz, after all, a washed-up superhero, and he was a gorgeous supermodel. Her thoughts must have shown on her face, because all at once, a pair of strong hands cautiously took hers. Her stomach did a flip.

"Marinette," he said softly. She didn't look up. She heard him sigh. "Milady, please look at me." Slowly, she met his eyes. The beautiful green was hidden by the brown contacts and his oval glasses again. "Now. How about you tell me what's on your mind," he asked. His tone was calm, but his eyes were pleading.

She sighed. "I just…" she stopped, looking down again.

She couldn't tell him. He didn't even remember her properly, didn't remember all their adventures, all the nights on patrol, all the times they played games together or protected each other. He didn't remember their partnership. And she wasn't sure he remembered what he had felt for her…or how she'd treated him in return. It wouldn't be fair to him to dump all her insecurities on him. He already had a lot to sort through anyway with the newly-revealed identities; she couldn't add to it by telling him her fears and feelings, she told herself.

"It's…it's nothing," she finished weakly. She knew he wouldn't believe her, but prayed he wouldn't press her.

Apparently she'd forgotten how stubborn her Chaton could be. He laid his glasses to the side, gently tilting her chin up to look at him. His eyes were blazing, his brow furrowed. "It's not 'nothing' if it hurts you," he said mulishly, before his face softened. "Please. I want to help."

She pulled her hands away. "No, it's fine. I can handle it. You shouldn't have to-"

"It's ok, I want to," he reminded her. "I wouldn't have asked otherwise."

She looked at him uncertainly. "It's- it's stupid," she complained. "You have so many new things to worry about already. I- I can't ask you to take on my worries, too."

He stared at her in confusion. "We're friends, aren't we?" He asked, looking uncertain. "Isn't that what friends do?" He was looking at her through his hair again. She recognized the gesture. She sighed.

"I'm sorry, Chaton. I don't want to hurt you. I just…I don't want to bother you with this. You'll think it's stupid." _That _I'm_ stupid, _was unspoken, but she knew he could probably read it from her, clear as day.

He looked stunned. "I- I'd never-" he cut himself off as he noticed the look on her face. It spoke of so many things- insecurity, uncertainty, hurt, resignation, sadness, and…and fear. Overwhelming amounts of fear.

"Please," she pleaded softly. "Please. Let it go."

He hung his head. "Alright, Milady. I get it. I won't push you anymore." She could see his hurt written on his face, but he quickly shoved it away, offering her a croissant in silence.

"Thank you," she whispered. She knew he understood that she didn't just mean for the croissant. She was glad he'd let her be. Maybe one day she'd tell him, but it would not be this day.

* * *

They ate in silence, Tikki and Plagg appearing momentarily from wherever they'd been hiding to retrieve their favorite snacks before they retreated. Finally, Adrien looked up at her expectantly, though his chocolate eyes were dull. He seemed to be trying to pretend that nothing had just happened.

"So…about my identity…? Do you have a suggestion as to which option I choose?"

Marinette stared out, not really seeing as she retreated into her head. "If you keep everything the same and stay hiding out as Jean Luc, that prevents you from having to deal with the press, at least for the time being," she said, beginning to think out loud, her tone business-like. "The downside to that is that you'll have to be constantly on your guard to make sure no one figures you out. I don't know about you," she looked up at him, "But personally, I feel like that would be terrible."

"It's possible that all of these options are terrible," he reasoned. "We just have to pick the least terrible choice."

She nodded before continuing. "If you go back to your father as Adrien, you'll be able to learn more about your upbringing, be able to go back to the life you had as a member of high society."

"The downsides are that I'd possibly get forced into a loveless marriage to a crazy witch; probably go back to being mostly alone and/or my father's pawn; and the press will probably go insane once they get a hold of the story of what happened to me," Adrien interjected gloomily. "They'd never leave me alone after that, not to mention I don't think I can just come out and say, 'Hey everybody, I was missing because got knocked out in a battle with an akuma and lost all my memories. Also, I'm Chat Noir.'" He gave a dark chuckle. "I likely wasn't even supposed to be there as my civilian self in the first place."

Marinette shot him a sideways glance in concern before moving on. "The third option is that you reveal yourself and the situation to my parents, minus being Chat Noir, of course, and continue being Jean Luc the bakery employee by day. You'd be able to avoid the press without having to worry about Maman and Papa figuring out your secret…"

"…but they might fire me on the spot," he finished. "I haven't been honest with them, after all."

"But that's not your fault," she protested. "You didn't even know your real name until today."

"Yes, but I knew I'd been a model," he pointed out. "I technically took advantage of their hospitality and kindness, rather than trying go back to my real life. That doesn't really seem like an ethical thing to do, right?" He paused, then, looking worried. "What if they insist that I go back to my father? Of those three options, I can tell you right now, I'm absolutely _not_ interested in going home. This-" he gestured to the room around him, "- has been more like a real home than it seemed like I'd had with my father."

Marinette looked vaguely pleased before she turned to him with a shrug. "You're an adult," she reminded him. "They can try to insist that you go back to your father, but ultimately, they can't legally make you. Nobody can, including Gabriel Agreste. You get to decide."

Adrien processed this. It was then that Marinette had another idea.

"Or…there might be one more option," she said, flushing a brilliant red. "You…you could come and stay with me and then figure out from there what you want to do. I have space…" His eyes widened in shock, his jaw hanging open, before he blushed crimson as well.

When he failed to find his voice, Marinette hurried on. "You- you don't have to decide right now," she rambled. "I…I just wanted to let you know that it's an option. I-if you want." Still stunned, he just nodded silently.

The awkward pause stretched between them, before Marinette suddenly stood. "I- I should probably let you get to bed," she said reluctantly. "You still have work in the morning." She turned back to him, reaching for his hand and giving it a gentle squeeze. He met her eyes questioningly.

"I'm really glad you're safe," she said finally, her face turning red. But she continued determinedly. "Even if you don't remember everything, you're still the same person, and…I'm so, _so _glad you're not gone. Nothing was the same without you. Nothing was right- my powers, the battles, even me. _Especially_ me."

He just watched her in stunned silence as she dropped his hand, transforming back into Ladybug. "We should meet up tomorrow so you can practice using your powers," she said, suddenly business-like again. "You need to get used to them again before there's another akuma attack. Let's meet at our spot- at the Eiffel Tower. 19:30." She took out her yo-yo as she prepared to exit through the balcony hatch, then turned back over her shoulder, her eyes softening.

"By the way…I much prefer your true eyes and name to the fake ones. They…they suit you." Then she disappeared without another word.


	9. Chapter 9

Adrien flopped back on his bed after changing into his pajamas. His mind was spinning.

Marinette was definitely Ladybug. He was the missing Chat Noir. He was a _superhero_. His real name was Adrien Agreste, the famous supermodel. His own father had been trying to set him up to marry Chloe Bourgeious against his wishes. He groaned.

"Plagg, what do I do?" He asked, feeling overwhelmed. The cat kwami blinked at him lazily.

"Anything you want," he replied. "You have the chance to make a fresh start, if you want it. I think you should take advantage of it."

Adrien didn't answer as he caught hold of this thought. It was his choice. What _did_ he want?

He knew he loved the place he had as a part of Marinette's parents' family. He loved that they cared about him, that they'd taken him in and treated him as their own, and that they gave him a chance. He knew he didn't want to give that up.

He also knew that he really liked his work in the bakery. It was fun, lighthearted, relaxing work that he was good at. He'd learned a lot, and he was especially proud of his abilities now that he knew who he really was. He thought it rather unlikely that a supermodel and son of a famous fashion designer would have much cause or opportunity to be making his own food, so it made sense to think that he had some natural talent in that area.

He loved that he'd able to help Ladybug for real now. And now he knew her, in and out of the mask. He could maybe be a real friend to her, or maybe more. He just wished he remembered more about her…

He remembered that Ladybug had said that he'd won competitions for fencing. National competitions, even. It seemed that his abilities in that area could help in his fighting as Chat Noir, if what had happened earlier that week was anything to go by. Maybe he should explore that further, he thought.

Chinese wasn't that interesting to him at this point. If he wasn't leaving his job at the bakery, he'd have little reason to use it. He couldn't remember anything about his Chinese lessons anyway. And he still couldn't remember anything from his business degree either. Perhaps that had been another thing that had come about at the insistence of his father. He made a face. It surely didn't sound like something he was passionate about.

His thoughts turned to his father. He knew his father was all alone, now that his mother was gone, and Adrien himself had disappeared. Was it right to stay away, to let his father think he was dead, just so he could have some freedom and not have reporters following his every move? Sure, his father was cold and controlling- at least, from the one memory he had of the man. But did that warrant leaving a man in the dark about his own son's continued existence?

What would happen if he turned up one day at his family home? Would the press hound him at every turn for the rest of his life? Would he have to cut off contact with his father anyway in order to live the kind of life he wanted? He surely had no intention of getting married right now, and certainly not to Chloe Bourgeious. Not that he actually remembered knowing the woman, but it was plain from his memory what he'd thought of her.

Shaking away these heavy thoughts, he resolved to ask Marinette her opinion later. It was then he realized just how late it was. He was exhausted. He rolled on his side and closed his eyes.

"Night, Adrien," he heard from a spot next to his ear. He cracked one eye open, peering blearily about in darkness. Plagg had drifted over and curled up on the pillow beside him.

"Night, Plagg," he answered sleepily, before succumbing to dreams.

* * *

In another bedroom across town, Ladybug was flopping on her bed, too, releasing her transformation. She couldn't believe it. Chat was alive! Her Kitty hadn't died in the explosion after all! He was safe and happy, and hiding in _her room_ at her parents' house!

She felt a little stupid now. She really should have seen the signs sooner, she supposed, but…in her defense, it had been difficult to let herself hope. The evidence clearly pointed to his untimely demise, but against all odds, he'd come back to her. He just hadn't known that he had.

Marinette's cheeks tinged pink with embarrassment. She'd asked him to come live with her! What on earth had she been thinking? Why didn't she just put up a big neon sign that said, "I'm in Love With You!"? She slapped her own forehead as she remembered something- she'd already admitted to Jean Luc- Adrien- that she loved Chat Noir…before she knew that he WAS Chat Noir. Even before HE knew he was Chat Noir!

"Ugh. Tikki!" She wailed, "Jea- Adrien- knows I'm in love with him! He's- he's not supposed to know thaaat!"

Tikki looked at her unsympathetically. "Why not?"

"Because…because I don't know if he still loves me," she said in panic. "He doesn't remember his own family, for goodness sake! He has so many things to sort out. I wasn't supposed to let him know I'm in love with him! Not at least until he'd had time to figure out what he wants to do."

Tikki raised an eyebrow, looking unimpressed. "Yeah, sure Marinette. Now, what's the real reason?"

Marinette sighed. "What if…what if he gets freaked out? He doesn't really remember me, he probably saw how we were before in the videos, and now suddenly I'm in love with him? I- I don't want to scare him off. He'll leave again," she whispered. "I couldn't bear it if he decided he hated me or tried to avoid me. I'd much rather just be his friend than lose him altogether." She hid her face with her hands. "I already went through that once," she muttered gloomily.

Tikki's eyes softened. "I'm sure everything will work out," she said optimistically. "Besides, with all the other bombshells he'd had to deal with this week, it's possible that this one won't even register."

"I sure hope you're right," Marinette said doubtfully, pulling out her pajamas and disappearing into the bathroom to prepare for bed.

* * *

As it turned out, Adrien _didn't_ remember that detail. He hummed happily as he prepared some raspberry macarons in the bakery the next day. In just a couple hours, he'd be able to meet up with Ladybug. Maybe he'd get some more answers to his questions. Maybe he'd be able to learn how to be the greatest superhero ever. Maybe he'd have a new friend.

To make things even better, his memories had continued to return. As he focused on his meeting with Ladybug, more and more flashbacks shot through his mind. Most of them were of battles, but there were a few where they were just talking as they looked out over the city lights, or a couple times where they played tag out on patrol. They'd had so much fun together.

"Someone's in a good mood," Sabine teased him as she walked in from the store front, taking a tray of finished pastries from the cooling rack. "Your midnight rendezvous went well, I take it?"

Adrien blushed a deep red. "Uh…" he said stupidly. Had she heard them again? He'd been sure that they'd gone out for the evening, since when he'd descended to the kitchen to collect dinner, there had been no sign of them. Maybe before they'd left…? Hoping she'd drop the subject, he shifted uneasily, but she just smirked at him.

"Oh come on, dear. It's written all over your face," she said. "You've been practically bouncing all day. Actually, come to think of it, how that's been possible with how late you were up is beyond me," she said, looking amazed. Adrien was a little amazed, himself, and not just at how she knew that. He had roused himself from slumber around 4:00 for the morning shift in the bakery, which was no easy feat when he'd gone to bed at almost midnight.

"Actually…" Adrien cut in before she could tease him anymore, "I- I kind of…have a date tonight," he lied quickly. He _wished_ it was a date, but…meeting up with Ladybug to train would work, too. It wasn't as if he could tell her the real reason he'd be out of the bakery, anyway. Sabine's gray eyes lit up.

"Oh! Good for you! I hope I'll get to meet her sometime?" She asked. Adrien shrugged, feeling embarrassed.

"It's just a date, Mada- uh, Sabine. We haven't been…uh…seeing each other long. We're just… meeting up for…dessert," he invented wildly.

Sabine patted his shoulder. "Well, let me know how it goes," she said, taking her pastries with her as she made her way back to the displays.

When she was gone, Adrien breathed a sigh of relief, pushing his glasses up his nose with the back of his hand. He wondered what, exactly, she thought they'd been doing last night, then blushed as he decided he didn't really want to know.

* * *

He quickly finished his work, cleaned up his work station, and ascended the stairs to "prepare" for his "date". On his way out the door, he gathered some of the macarons he'd just made, along with a handful of chocolate chip cookies, into a bag before waving goodbye to Tom and Sabine (the latter of which smirked and winked) and disappearing into an alleyway to transform with plenty of extra time to spare. He didn't want to be late. Not for any reason.

"Plagg, claws out!" He commanded. He examined his hands, which were covered with clawed gloves, before tucking the bag of cookies into his belt so he'd be able to have both hands free. He was a little nervous. Reaching back, he pulled out the silver baton and pressed one of the buttons, one he knew was not for the phone.

"Whoa!" He cried as the baton suddenly extended high into the air, taking him with it. He was now level with the rooftops. Holding on tightly, he leaped just as the staff's balance failed, beginning to tip forward. He landed nimbly on a chimney, heart racing.

_Well, that was terrifying, _he thought. He took a breath, attempting to steady his nerves. He didn't know why his fencing skills had come back as second nature, but this had surprised him. Maybe he was overthinking it, he thought. Maybe it worked better on instinct.

Just then, he caught sight of a red blur in the distance, heading towards the Eiffel Tower. His stomach did a flip. There she was.

Letting all other thoughts leave his mind except getting to Ladybug, he took off running. He bounded over the rooftops on all fours, like a cat, leaping while twirling his staff over his head like a helicopter when he reached a gap without a second thought. Before he knew it, he was at the base of the Tower, running up the legs to the platform about halfway up, where he could make out the form of Ladybug.

He approached her silently; she sat with her back to him, legs crossed, looking out over Paris. He watched her for a moment, and was startled that he could hear her quiet sobs even from the distance at which he stood. _Probably extra-sensitive cat hearing, _he thought. He made his way over to her.

"Ladybug, what is it? What's happened?" He asked, looking down at her worriedly. Apparently he hadn't made enough noise while he walked, because she jumped, squeaking in surprise. _Stupid quiet cat paws_, he thought. "Will you tell me what happened?" He asked again. He was surprised when she thrust her yo-yo into his hands, the screen display showing a news station's coverage of a speech by the mayor. The severe-looking woman was tall, wearing a sharp business suit. Her rectangular spectacles framed her face and her dark hair was pulled back into a tight bun. She stood at a podium as flashes from cameras lit up her face from all sides.

"Due to recent events, the people of Paris call for the dismissal of Ladybug, effective immediately. As a whole, we feel that removal of Ladybug from our streets will only help in the akuma crisis," the mayor stated confidently.

"Are we sure _she_ hasn't been akumatized?" Chat asked in surprise. Ladybug just shook her head, tears still falling.

"She's not."

Chat Noir's eyes narrowed in anger as the woman continued to make her case, siting the many people who were stranded in one akumatized form or another and the several times that damage to property had not been completely erased by the Miraculous Ladybug spell. The news clip ended with some leaked footage from the Louvre security cameras of his own battle as Jean Luc against the wizard-akuma only days before. Luckily for him, his back was to the camera the majority of the time, and even then, the poor video quality and his hoodie made it difficult to make out his face. It was unlikely he would be recognized.

"If Ladybug has become incompetent enough that she needs civilians to protect her, then we would be better off without her. If anyone sees her in Paris again, she is to be arrested forthwith." the mayor finished dramatically. "Thank you."

The news continued with a few witnesses who claimed they had family members or friends frozen around the city. They expressed their sadness and anger at the state of their loved ones. Many of them personally blamed Ladybug for the state of things.

Chat was fuming. As he watched his Lady continue to let tears slide down her cheeks, he desperately wanted to break something. He angrily snapped the yo-yo shut, cutting off the current citizen's vile diatribe. How _dare_ these people insult Ladybug? After everything she'd done for them? She'd been protecting them for over ten years. _Ten. Years. _At great personal risk, to herself, her friends, and her family. And then the citizens show their thanks by, what? Humiliating her? Telling her they'd be better off without her? Did they really think they'd be safer, that Hawkmoth's onslaught would cease if Ladybug went to ground? How stupid _were_ these people, exactly?

He sat down on his knees, hugging her from behind and pulling her against his chest. "Milady, don't listen to those fools," he said softly, though even he could hear the dangerous note in it. "They don't know you. They don't understand-"

"But they're right!" Ladybug cried, sagging in his arms, covering her face with her hands. Her voice had become slightly muffled. She grabbed onto his wrists, holding on as though they were a lifeline.

Chat Noir felt his eyes well up with tears. He was beginning to understand how much she'd been hurting. "I'm sorry," he whispered shakily. "I'm so sorry." He began to rock her as she cried, burying his face in the crook of her neck.

Suddenly, he felt her stiffen. He looked up, alarmed, to see a dark shape fluttering towards them. Courtesy of his cat-like night vision, he could clearly see the lightning-streaked butterfly. An akuma.

"Chat! Now!" She cried.

"Cataclysm!" He shouted without a second thought, reaching his hand out for the butterfly, his fingers now bubbling black with magical power. His claw hit the edge of a wing and the insect disintegrated into a pile of ash.

They slumped back to the platform in relief. He noticed that Ladybug was shivering in his arms.

"It's alright, Milady. It's gone now," he said softly. He could hear her taking slow breaths, trying to calm herself. He gently held her as she relaxed, finally patting his hand to get his attention.

"How- how did you know what to do?" She asked him. He shrugged.

"Instinct, I suppose," he replied. "None of the memories that have come back revealed anything about my powers, but…I guess it's like…when I was coming here, I had a bit of a scare trying to figure out how to work my baton," he said sheepishly, filling her in on the details. "It was like…I didn't know what to do when I thought about it too hard, but when I just went by feel, things clicked into place," he finished.

She was silent as she processed what he'd said, finally nodding. "It makes sense," she said. She squirmed in his hold, and Chat Noir loosened his grip in response to her movement. "We should probably go," she sighed, standing up, gazing down at him sadly.

Chat thought for a moment, then shook his head as he stood to face her. "No. We still have to train," he said seriously. Ladybug looked taken aback.

"Have…have you not been listening?" She asked, incredulous. "We'll be arrested-"

"No, Milady" he interrupted, poking her shoulder as he smirked at her, "_You'll_ be arrested. Which is ludicrous anyway, seeing as they'd never be able to _cat_-ch you. But, that's beside the point." He paused, looking at her mischievously. "I, on the other hand, have likely been presumed dead, so no one ever said anything about the consequences of seeing _meow_-t and about."

Ladybug stared at him, then snorted with laughter. "You mangy cat," she said, her voice laced with mirth as she shook her head. "What am I going to do with you?"

He raised an eyebrow suggestively. "What do you _want _to do with me, Milady?" Ladybug blushed, and, once he realized what he'd said, he blushed, too.

"I-I'm sorry," he stuttered. "That was inappropriate, I-" but Ladybug shook her head as she started to laugh. She laughed so hard she almost couldn't keep herself upright. Chat Noir just stared at her in shock. That was definitely not what he was expecting.

"No, it's ok," she said when she could breathe again. "I- I just have never seen you get flustered like that before. It was..well, it was nice to not be the only one becoming reminiscent of a strawberry."

He chuckled softly; his face still felt hot. "Glad I could help, Milady," he said dryly.

"That's a good idea, actually," she said seriously, continuing their conversation from before as if there had been no interruption, though still with a small smile on her face. "No one ever said anything about you fighting akumas. I could stay out of sight unless it's an emergency, or until you need me to purify the akuma…" she sighed at the thought. "Not that it works that well at the moment anyway…"

He reached out a hand to her, setting it lightly on her shoulder. "Hey." She met his neon eyes nervously. He put on the most sincere and confident look he could muster. "We'll fix it. There has to be a way. And we _will_ find it. Your powers will be back to normal in no time."

Ladybug looked down at her toes. "I hope you're right," she said softly. Just then, Chat's ring chirped. He frowned down at it; Ladybug quickly answered his unspoken question.

"It's a signal that you need to give Plagg something to eat to recharge. Did you bring any cheese with you?" Char Noir shook his head. Ladybug checked her yo-yo. "That's ok, I still have some from the other day." She took out the slice of cheese and handed it to him. "Make sure you're out of sight before you de-transform," she reminded him. He nodded to her, hiding himself by sitting down behind a pillar crosslegged, removing his bag of cookies from his belt before he could sit on them.

"Claws in," he said, and his Jean Luc persona and Plagg appeared in a flash of green. He handed over the cheese as Ladybug came and sat down beside him, looking him up and down.

"You look sharp," she remarked. "You…you have plans later?" She asked a little timidly. He shook his head, feeling his face grow warm again.

"I told your parents I had a date tonight," he said ruefully. Curiously, Ladybug flushed again, too. "As cover for going out. I haven't really been out in the nightlife much since I came to live at your parent's place, so it would be suspicious if I was missing without cause."

"Oh," she said quietly, suddenly finding her fingers very interesting. He wondered what she was thinking; was the thought of going on a date with him embarrassing because…she wanted to? Or because she didn't want to, but didn't want to hurt his feelings? He decided against being forward enough to ask outright. So, he held up the bag in his hand, a certain ice breaker…he hoped…

"Cookie?" He offered, pulling out a chocolate chip one for her. She took it in surprise, biting into it.

"Thanks! How did you know?" She asked, before her eyes narrowed. "Wait, don't tell me; Maman?" He grinned at her unapologetically.

"The very same," Adrien said grandly, grinning happily. He became serious then, watching her out of the corner of his eye as he busied himself with the bag. "She's been baking a lot of these lately."

Apparently, she knew exactly what that meant, because she became withdrawn all of a sudden. He did not dare press her further. He pulled out one of the pink macarons, hoping to lift the mood.

"I made these ones myself," he said, handing her one. "These are _my_ favorite. Raspberry," he volunteered, though watching her with some trepidation. She eyed it warily, then took it from him. She took a bite, meeting his chocolate-lensed eyes in surprise.

"This is…amazing, Jea- I mean, Adrien," she said, giving him a warm smile. Her eyes sparkled. He grinned happily at her praise and her sparkle, before puffing up in mock arrogance.

"_I'm_ pretty a-_meow-_zing_, _though, so no surprises there," he said, striking a flexing pose. He watched with some confusion as she blushed again even as she rolled her eyes with a small giggle. He did not protest as she changed the subject.

"So…is there any specific place you want to start with your training?" She asked. He thought it over before answering.

"Well, I already know my power- Cataclysm, right?" He looked at her in question. She nodded affirmatively. "It can destroy anything?" She nodded again. "And…is there a limit on how many times I can use it before Plagg needs more energy?" She nodded a third time.

"You can only use it once per transformation. When we were younger, we only had five minutes before we changed back after using our powers. But now, it's dependent on how much energy we've spent, how tired we are, etc. We still get a five-minute warning, but the countdown doesn't always start when we use our powers. The gems draw energy from us, so being fully grown has given us more advantages than just size and strength."

"Do I have any other powers?" He asked. She shrugged.

"Not that I know of, besides the inherent super strength. And the cat senses and reflexes," she answered. "You know: the night vision, sensitive hearing, leaping tall buildings in a single bound… that sort of stuff." He looked excited, but wilted when she added, "And no, that last one was an exaggeration." She smirked a little before she continued. "Plagg might know if there are more spells, but there isn't anything about them in your user guide, and I've only ever seen you use the one."

"Ok…" he said finally, mulling this over. "My baton…staff…thing. Is there anything I should know about that?"

She thought for a moment. "Just that if you have questions, you should have a user guide in the cat-phone feature. I've only used the Chat Noir powers once or twice, so I'm nowhere near an expert," she admitted.

He thought for a moment. "So…I think I'd like to set up a schedule consisting of sparing, with and without super-weapons, and just regular workouts- running, weights, that kind of stuff." He hesitated. "I- I think I'd also like to get formally tested in fencing. I want to see what level I am, at the very least, and if I can get any memories of my former training to reappear in my head. It could be useful." Ladybug nodded her agreement.

"I know where you can find a fencing instructor. The one at my old lycée is one of the best in Paris. In fact, you may have actually taken lessons from him before, even though you didn't go to public school. He's _that _good. You can just ask Maman if she can point you to a fencing instructor, she'll probably send you to the one I'm thinking of, Monsieur D'Argentcour." She paused. "If he's reluctant to take an adult student…well, we did save him once when he was akumatized, so he might pull a couple strings for Chat Noir. And if not…he might still be receptive to Ladybug. I'd have to be careful about how I get in touch with him now though…" she trailed off, her thoughts reverting to internal processes. Then she turned to him, shaking herself out of her thoughts.

"Do you want to go as your civilian self, your true civilian self, or as Chat Noir?" She asked. He was startled that she'd asked him that, particularly because he hadn't really thought about it.

"I think- I think I'd prefer to go as Jean Luc." He said after a moment, reaching for another cookie and handing her one as well. She took it gratefully. "Adrien will attract too much attention. Come to think of it, Chat Noir might, as well, considering he's supposed to be dead. Plus, Chat might accidentally throw the poor man through a wall, if what you were saying about super strength is accurate," he said doubtfully. "I don't want to have to hold back for fear of hurting someone, and I don't have much experience with my powers yet."

They kept eating their cookies in companionable silence when Adrien suddenly had another thought.

"Hey, that woman who has the mayor's office now- what's her name?" He asked abruptly. "She seems…familiar."

Ladybug looked at him questioningly before she replied, "Her name is Nathalie Sancoer. She took office a couple years or so ago, winning finally against Mayor Bourgeious. Goodness knows that man was in office _way_ too long."

But Adrien was giving his full attention to another memory.

* * *

_Sixteen year old Adrien was standing in the foyer of an enormous house. Everything the eye could see in that room was modern and immaculate, the decor in stark blacks and whites. His father stood at the top of a grand staircase, looking down on him. Next to Adrien stood a woman in a sharp business pants suit and heels. Her glasses and her hair, which was pulled back into a tight bun, spoke of sophistication and precision. _

"_Nathalie," Gabriel's cold voice rang out through the echo-y room, "Adrien is to confined to his room for the remainder of the day. He is to practice his piano lesson, then his Chinese, and then get ahead in his mathematics and history lessons. Under no circumstances will he be allowed to leave. Once he is secured, please join me in my office. There is a meeting that is about to begin with the board of directors in Italy, and I require your presence. Please bring note taking materials. Is that understood?"_

_Adrien glared at Gabriel, then at Nathalie, who responded with a sharp, "Yes, sir," before attempting to lead Adrien away. Adrien stayed put, angry at being talked about as though he weren't there, as well as being treated like a criminal. He'd only wanted to get away for a few hours. Was that too much to ask?_

"_I hope you learn from this, Adrien. You must never leave the house without permission, and your bodyguard must always accompany you," Gabriel said sharply. "You are my son. And you will do as I say."_

_Adrien narrowed his eyes, opening his mouth to argue, before Nathalie nudged him subtly with her foot. He looked over at her, and she gave a barely perceptible shake of her head. Adrien sighed, then silently followed Nathalie from the room._

* * *

Adrien shook his head. Ladybug was looking on in concern.

"Nathalie used to work for my father," he said without preamble. "She seemed to be some combination of his secretary and a…a babysitter or handler for me," he said bitterly.

Ladybug had surprise written all over her face. "I wonder how she went from being a secretary to being Mayor of Paris," she said, looking puzzled.

"Maybe there's some sort of conspiracy," Adrien joked with a grin that didn't quite reach his eyes. He really wasn't in the mood to talk about politics, or Nathalie. "Maybe she promised everyone better scheduling devices in exchange for votes." Ladybug laughed.

"Or maybe, she promised model-quality meals for everyone in Paris," she added, eyes sparkling with laughter.

They sat, trying to come up with conspiracy theories for Nathalie's appointment to office, each one more absurd than the last, until Adrien yawned widely, stretching luxuriously like a cat. "Sorry Milady. I'm going to have to _scat_. Otherwise my _purr_-fect body will probably give out before noon tomorrow," he teased. "We can train properly tomorrow." She smiled, though her cheeks were pink again. He found he quite liked making her blush. He turned serious again.

"Will you be alright? After what happened earlier?" He asked softly, searching her eyes. She nodded, though her expression was unsure.

"I should be ok," she said aloud. She sounded to him as though she were trying to convince herself as well. He stared at her doubtfully.

"I can, well, not _walk_ you home, but…you know what I mean," he finished lamely. She shook her head.

"No. That's really nice of you, but I'll be fine," she said, sounding determined. Her eyes were dull with worry now though, all sparkle vanished. He narrowed his eyes.

"Plagg, claws out," he muttered, standing in one fluid movement.

"Chat, what are you-"

"I'm taking you home, Bugaboo," he announced, scooping her up in his arms. She opened her mouth to speak, but he shook his head. "No arguing, now. I'm going to take you home and I'll stay with you until you fall asleep, alright?"

Ladybug struggled half-heartedly against his grip. "Chat, put me down," she whined weakly. "I'll be alright, and you have work in the morning and-"

"Shh," he cut her off, putting a finger to her lips. "Just trust me. Ok?"

"Always," she whispered. Chat Noir felt a thrill run through his body, before he forced his mind back to the present.

"Right," he said, returning to the task at hand. "Which way, Princess?"


	10. Chapter 10

Shortly after, they arrived on the balcony to Marinette's apartment, making sure not to let themselves be seen. They crept inside, releasing their transformations once the door was shut and locked behind them. Adrien set Marinette down, looking around her home with interest as she got out food for Plagg and Tikki. It actually reminded him a lot of the apartment at the bakery. It was cozy, and everything about it made him feel at home. The living room and kitchen felt cheery, even in the darkness of night, which was an incredible feat in his opinion. Many of the decorations looked to be handmade, including sketches, drawings, and watercolors that she'd framed. She was very talented, and he couldn't help but stare as he studied a painting of the Paris skyline.

"Make yourself at home," Marinette's voice called to him, as she disappeared down the hall. "I'll just get ready for bed."

Adrien moved so he could see the hallway where she'd gone, and found it was full of doors. The door immediately to the left had a light on behind it, and he could hear water running. Probably a bathroom, he decided. There was another light from a door further down to the left, which stood propped open a bit. He could clearly make out her bedroom before turning to the last door, more to the right. The lights here were off, and the door stood completely ajar. Curiously, he edged into the room, flipping on the light as he went.

One corner of the room held an assortment of fabrics, beads, buttons, yarn, and threads in varying states of disarray. Along another wall was a small table with a sewing machine. On the wall surrounding this was a number of sketches. Clothing designs, if he had to guess. In the middle of the room was another table. This one held a cutting board for fabric, along with a half-finished piece of clothing. It was a men's suit jacket, black with lime green lining and accents. It was stunning. The matching lime green tie laying next to it sported a tiny golden bell. He reached out and flicked it, smiling when it gave a satisfying jingle.

"Having fun?" Adrien whirled around when he heard Marinette's wry voice from behind him. She was standing in the hallway in her pajamas, which were black with tiny green paw prints. Her arms were folded across her chest, and she was looking at him with an eyebrow raised.

_Cute, _his mind threw in unhelpfully, before he registered what she'd said.

"I'm- I'm sorry," he began, but stopped short when he noticed the sparkle in her eyes.

"I'm just messing with you," she said, stepping forward and poking his nose. "I don't mind."

* * *

_A memory swirled into his mind._

_Twenty-four year old Chat Noir was hanging upside down, once again wrapped in Ladybug's yo-yo string. _

"_Milady, did I ever tell you I'm head over heels for you?" He quipped half-seriously as she approached him, she right side up. "Thanks for saving my hide, by the way," he added softly. Maybe this time she'd see how much he genuinely felt for her. He stretched his neck toward her, attempting to peck her on the lips. She poked his nose to push his face back from hers, releasing her yo-yo string. He fell to the ground in a heap. _

"_No time for that now, Kitty," she said in a business-like tone as he righted himself. He sighed in dismay. There was _never _any time for that. "We've got to figure out where the akuma went before it destroys half of Paris."_

* * *

He sighed in the present, too. That had been his first time remembering that sort of scene. It seemed his observations of his and Ladybug's interactions were correct. Ladybug hadn't wanted to be with him. She wasn't in love with him, even as recently as earlier that year.

"What is it?" She asked, looking at him with concern. He tried to shake it off.

"It's nothing," he said quickly, trying to sound confident. But one look at her bluebell eyes told him she wasn't buying it. Thankfully, she chose to let him be. He really didn't want to discuss this with her right now. He was supposed to be here to help her anyway, not the other way around.

Adrien followed Marinette out of the sewing room, meeting her eyes as she turned back to him, looking uneasy. He blushed again, realizing he hadn't really thought this through. She should sleep in her own bed, but he wasn't sure how she'd feel about his proximity to her in her private space. Being allowed to be with her in her sleeping area was rather intimate, after all. The last thing he wanted to do was make her uncomfortable.

She took the decision out of his hands. He marveled at that for a moment; it was as though she had understood exactly what had given him pause. It was probably because they were partners, he supposed. Before, they'd gotten so used to how the other thought and acted that they could communicate without words. He remembered seeing it in the videos online and being enthralled by the intimacy of their partnership, the way they just sort of seemed to…read each other's minds. It was quite strange to think now that he'd been a part of something as amazing and beautiful as that.

She led him back out to the sofa, grabbing a throw blanket off the back of the couch and curling up in it as he sat down at one end. He tried very hard not to over-analyze her choice and just enjoy being able to be there for her, but it was difficult. He knew she probably just didn't want to lead him on- his memory made it clear what their relationship had been like- but part of him hoped that she wanted to be with him and just didn't want to assume anything about his own feelings. Though he wasn't sure how she could have mistaken them; Chat had been dropping hints for years.

He mentally shook himself as she sat down on the sofa beside him, curling up with her feet tucked under her. She held herself away from him slightly though. He sighed inwardly.

"I'm not going to bite, Princess," he remarked with a crooked smile, holding out his arm to her questioningly. She hesitated for a moment, then shuffled closer to put her head on his shoulder as he wrapped his arm around her. She let herself relax as she pressed into his side. He shivered in delight, pulling her closer to him and putting his other hand on her waist. She stiffened in surprise. He hoped he hadn't crossed a line.

"Is- is this ok?" He asked softly. He didn't notice he was holding his breath until she nodded into his shoulder and he released it in relief. He tentatively raised a hand and ran his fingers through her silky, dark hair, which she'd taken down out of its signature twin tails. He felt her shiver a little before relaxing into his touch.

He soon realized, though, that she was probably not going to be able to sleep anytime soon. While he relaxed comfortably, she shifted, trying to find a better position. After she'd done this for the tenth time, huffing in annoyance, he offered to let her be and go on home for the night. Maybe his presence was disconcerting to her, he thought.

"No!" She cried, reaching for his hand and holding on tight. "Stay," she begged softly, looking up into his eyes. He studied her for a moment.

"This- this is normal for you. Isn't it?" He remarked. It wasn't really a question, but she nodded in answer anyway.

"I- I haven't really slept well in months," she admitted. "It takes me a long time to fall asleep. I just can't get my mind to shut down." She blushed, not looking at him. "I had hoped that you being here would change that. I- I keep having nightmares about…about that day you disappeared."

He was startled. His disappearance had really shaken her, with more consequences than he was aware of. He squeezed her tightly, but both of them jumped when Tikki spoke up.

"We might have an idea," she squeaked, gesturing to Plagg, who was looking resigned for some reason. "Adrien, transform into Chat Noir."

He raised an eyebrow at the little red kwami, but said his transformation phrase. In a flash of green, he was once again clad in his leather suit. He looked questioningly at Tikki again, but she just zoomed back to her cookies without another word. He shrugged, relaxing again. Marinette curled up with her head on his chest once more. She could probably hear his rapid heartbeat, he thought with some embarrassment, but suddenly his focus shifted. A deep rumbling in his chest distracted him; his eyes widened comically, and Marinette sat up quickly in surprise.

"You- you're purring!" she said in shock. He shook his head quickly, his horror and embarrassment stopping the sound.

"N-no, of course I'm not. There's…something in my throat," he said, his voice quivering nervously. _This is a _cat-_astrophe, _he thought, picturing a facepalm.

Marinette laughed softly. "Yeah, a tiny kitten," she quipped. "You denied it last time, too, you know. Who'd have thought?"

"It happens to every Chat Noir," Tikki explained from the kitchen. "It's perfectly normal. For you, anyway. Don't worry, Adrien."

Not sure this was exactly a comforting thought, he tried to release the tension in his muscles. It was then that he noticed Marinette looking up at him, a smirk playing on her lips. _Uh oh._

Before he knew it, she'd maneuvered him so that he was lying with his head in her lap, her hands gently carding through his sunshine hair, scratching his scalp lightly with her fingernails behind his black cat ears.

"Mari," Chat whined. "Mari, please don't!" But the rumbling purr blossomed from his throat despite his protests. His face turned beet red. She laughed softly as he huffed in annoyance. "This is so embarrassing," he mumbled, attempting to hide his blushing face in her stomach. She didn't startle this time as she focused on continuing her ministrations.

"It's _purr-_fect," she whispered, though he wasn't sure she'd meant for him to hear. He felt a little better anyway.

Eventually, his embarrassment faded and he relaxed, closing his eyes and sighing happily as he allowed his purr to permeate the room. He loved the feeling of her fingers in his hair, and the repetitive movement was beginning to make him drowsy. He was exhausted. The last thing he remembered before drifting off, though later he wasn't sure if he'd only dreamt it, was his Lady pressing a soft kiss to his temple.

* * *

The sky outside was still dark when Marinette awoke, looking around in confusion. She was startled to find herself entangled in someone's arms. Adrien was still fast asleep on her couch, his oval-shaped glasses askew and his brown hair sticking up every whichaway. Her head was pillowed on his chest, allowing her to hear his steady heartbeat. His arms were thrown loosely about her waist, their legs intertwined. She stared at him for a moment, her eyes soft as she took in the sight of her sleeping Kitty, gently removing his glasses.

It was interesting, she noted, how different it was to see her partner so peaceful. Gone was her fierce protector and her punny best friend, instead replaced by a vulnerable young man who was blissfully unaware of his surroundings. Usually he was frowning in concentration, blazing with determination, or his eyes laughing as he taunted his prey. But now, there was not a bit of tension in his whole body; his face was completely unmarred by worry. She found she quite liked watching him sleep…weird and stalker-y as that sounded.

With a sigh, she looked around, catching sight of the clock on the wall. It read 3:45. Her eyes widened. He was going to be late for work, and then he'd have to explain to her parents. She was sure he wouldn't be too thrilled about that.

"Chaton, it's time to wake up," she said, shaking him gently. His eyes opened blearily.

"Milady?" He mumbled. "What are you-"

"No time, Kitty," she said, handing him back his spectacles. "Short story is, you stayed over at my place and your work shift starts soon." She pointed his gaze towards the clock. His brown-lensed eyes still looked sleepy and confused, as though his tired mind could not quite put the pieces together. And he still wasn't moving. She sighed.

"What day is it?" He asked finally, his still sleepy voice betraying his confusion. She thought for a moment.

"Um…Saturday. Why?"

"Your folks gave me Saturday off. Said I'd been working too much," he revealed, placing his glasses on the floor. "Not working today. Get to stay here with you." He gave her a sleepy smile before he closed his eyes again, folding his hands behind his head lazily.

She gave a small smile as she watched him, then relaxed next to him again. A thrill ran through her that he wanted to stay with her, and she snuggled deeper into his side. His purr once again sounded throughout the room and soon enough, they had slipped back into sleep.

* * *

When Marinette woke a second time, the sun was streaming in through the window. She opened her eyes with a sigh. Time to get up. It was then that she noticed Adrien watching her, fully awake as he lay still, not moving a muscle. His cheeks flushed as he was caught staring, but he blinked slowly at her.

"How long have you been up?" She asked him sleepily.

"Not long," came the reply, though he didn't say anything more. She sat up and stretched. Despite having slept on the couch, she felt more well-rested than she had in ages. It was a day she felt as if she could take on the world, she thought happily.

Adrien sat up, too, on his hands and knees, arching his back, then elongating his body, his arms outstretched. His lean muscles rippled fluidly at the movement. Marinette watched him, fascinated by this unexpected cat-like quirk. He turned to her, and then it was her turn to be caught staring. He smirked at her, but didn't comment.

"So Milady, what's the plan for today?" He asked, looking at her expectantly, retrieving his glasses from the floor. She shook herself out of her head to meet his chocolate eyes.

"Well, we could just hang out here for the day," she suggested, "I-if you want to, that is. I have quite a bit of homework that needs done, though," she added. "You probably won't find it very interesting."

"It would still be worth it," he said, but didn't elaborate. She shrugged it off.

"We could go see Monsieur D'Argentcour about your fencing today, if you'd like. We should probably save your other training until after dark," she said thoughtfully. "I'd rather not have people trying to arrest me for being out in broad daylight, and it might be better to keep your return a secret for now." When he didn't answer immediately, she continued. "Anyway, we'd better get ready for the day if we want to get anything done." She met his eyes. "Is there anything particular you like for breakfast?"

He shrugged, replacing his glasses. "I'm not picky. Whatever you want is fine by me," he replied as he stood up from the couch, stretching again, though more human-like this time. "Actually, why don't you go ahead and get ready, and I can make breakfast." She looked at him in surprise. "Don't worry, it'll be _egg-_ceptional," he winked at her and she rolled her eyes playfully.

True to his word, breakfast was ready a short time later, and a newly-showered and dressed Marinette came back to find the table laden with eggs, toast, fruit, and hot chocolate. Plagg and Tikki were situated on a countertop with their food, looking on. Adrien had taken a seat at the table already, twisting his Miraculous around his ring finger nervously. It was then she noticed a single red rose lay on her plate. She blushed as he looked up at her upon her reentry, wondering, as she had many times before, if he was aware of the meaning of said flower, or if he just liked the red ones best.

"Th-thank you, Adrien," she said softly. "It looks fantastic."

She found a small vase for her flower, looking at it happily. "Where'd you get this?" She asked.

He looked a little sheepish before smirking.

"That's a secret, Milady. Can't have you knowing all my tricks," he answered. She raised an eyebrow at him, feeling skeptical. He grinned at her. "Relax, I'm just _pollen _your leg."

* * *

He registered in surprise that she was staring at him, a devious smirk playing on her lips. He shifted uneasily as wondered what, exactly, he'd just gotten himself into.

"Are you feeling _bouquet_, Kitty?" She smirked at him again, and he returned the pun, grinning like a Cheshire Cat.

"Of course, Milady. I'm _lavender_ ribbons, by the way, they really suit you," he said, pointing to the bright green ribbons she'd wound into her braids to match her Chat Noir t-shirt. She shook her head in bewilderment, crossing her arms and blushing slightly before volleying back with a sassy expression.

"Your _flowery_ prose has put me in an _orchid_ situation. _Bud_ _seed_, I _rose_ above it!"

Adrien's jaw dropped. _I definitely love this girl,_ he thought off-handedly, before starting to laugh. Marinette joined him before taking her seat. They dished up their food and began their meal, still chuckling. Adrien stole a glance at her through his hair. This was the most fun he could remember having for a long while. This girl, he thought. She was something special. Then something occurred to him.

"Mari-," he saw her jolt in surprise when he shortened her name. "S-sorry, do you prefer Marinette?"She stared, then shook her head.

"Like I said the other day, call me whatever you like," she said vaguely. "I-I like that you gave me nicknames. It's cute," she added shyly. He felt his face grow warm, but he nodded before he continued.

"Anyway…I was wondering what you thought I should do about my father," he asked her, feeling vulnerable. "He has no idea if I'm alive or dead. I want to keep my freedom and relative anonymity, but at the same time, I don't want to cause him unnecessary pain." He looked at her sincerely. "You always try to do the right thing, even when it's really hard. I really admire that," he flushed deeper at this admission, and she did, as well. Her expression turned pensive.

"I believe you should probably let him know you are alright," she said at last. He felt his face fall, before she gave a mischievous grin. "But…that doesn't mean you have to physically go home, either." His eyes widened as she explained. "From the sound of things, your father has been controlling towards you. You have no obligation to put yourself back under his thumb if you don't want to." Her eyes blazed with indignation.

"My suggestion is that you write him a letter and deliver it to the mailbox as Chat Noir, or call him from an untraceable or public phone. You can tell him something only the two of you would know so that he knows it's really from you, and then make it clear that you are not coming home and are going to live your own life. Then, if you connect with him after that, it will be on your terms."

He processed this carefully. It did seem like a great solution. It cleared his conscience without subjecting himself to his father's inflexibility. "Great idea, Mari," he agreed at last, spearing another portion of eggs on his fork. His heart felt considerably lighter. "I'll get that done soon. It will be nice to not worry about it anymore." There was a pause as they continued with their breakfast, before Adrien spoke again.

"Mari," he said hesitantly, "I- I know you don't want to talk about it, but…but I'm worried about your mother." He saw her blue gaze snap up to meet his own and it took all his self-control not to wince at the look she was giving him. He put down his fork, making a placating gesture.

"I'm sorry, Mari, I didn't want to butt in. I know it's really none of my business. But…I think she's at risk for being akumatized. She's really, really worried about you. She thinks you haven't been acting like yourself." With relief, he saw Marinette's face soften.

"I know," she said quietly. "The problem is, she's right; I _haven't_ been acting like myself." She sighed. "Maman has always been able to have…almost a sixth sense about when something is wrong. She's super observant, and I…I've never been able to hide much from her. Honestly, it wouldn't surprise me to find out she knows I'm Ladybug," she said wryly. "Anyway…I couldn't tell her anything about you going missing since no one was supposed to know that Marinette knew Chat, since technically, Marinette only had limited contact with Chat as herself." She grimaced. "Talking about myself in third person is weird," she said, while Adrien snorted at her expression.

"Anyway, I knew if someone ever brought up Chat in a conversation, she'd see the truth no matter how hard I tried to hide it," she explained. "That's why I freaked out so badly, that day with the sketches."

Adrien studied her. "It wasn't just your maman, though, was it, Mari?" He said shrewdly, before standing up and beginning to gather the empty dishes, taking them to the sink before turning to resume eye contact while leaning his back against the countertop. "You pretty much isolated yourself from everyone. Didn't you?" She sighed in defeat.

"Looks like I can't hide much of anything from you either, Kitty" she remarked. "It was almost impossible to pretend I was ok, so it just made sense to stay away."

* * *

_A young Adrien was sitting in an enormous bedroom alone, staring at his computer screen. Tears were leaking down his face as he studied the woman in the picture. She was beautiful, with blue eyes like Ladybug's and golden hair like his own. In the photo, she smiled brightly, waving to the camera. _

_His mother had been his very best friend, the person who looked out for him, had fun with him. The person who loved him best- and who he'd loved best. And she was gone._

"_Adrien?" He heard Nathalie's voice from the hall. His hands clenched into fists._

"_Go away!" He shouted shakily. _

"_Adrien, your father wants you to-"_

"_I don't _care_ what he wants!" He screamed. He'd never be able to go out there and pretend to be perfectly ok for his father. Not now. He took a shaky breath. "I-I'm sorry, Nathalie. Please. Just go. I- I need to be alone."_

"_Very well," her voice finally replied. When he finally heard the sound of her footsteps die away, he collapsed on his bed, sobbing in despair. His mother was gone. He didn't know how or why, but he was quite sure that she was never coming back._

* * *

He startled out of his memory when he felt a small hand on his shoulder, shocked to note tears on his face. He hurriedly wiped at his eyes.

"Are you alright?" She asked, eyes full of concern. He nodded.

"My-my mother," he said by way of explanation. She didn't press him, but silently, carefully, gathered him into a hug. He relished the feeling of her care and concern for him as he clung to her tightly, her warmth pressed against his body. They stayed tangled in each other's arms until he was feeling a little more steady, and he pulled back to meet her eyes with his currently chocolate-colored ones.

"Please, Milady," he finally whispered seriously, feeling open and vulnerable. "Don't waste the time you have with your mother. She loves you." He buried his face in her neck. "You- you just…never know how long you have left." She held him tighter.

"You're right, Kitty," she said quietly. "I'll come by this evening to visit her and Papa, ok?"

He gave her a sad smile. "I'm glad. I'll stay out of the way; I don't want to intrude-"

"Don't worry," she said, shaking her head. "I know Maman and Papa won't mind. They likely already think of you as family; that's just how they are. Besides, it will be easier to explain our… friendship if they witness us becoming friends properly. Remember, the last time they saw us meet, I can't say I was exactly very receptive to you," she said with a grimace. "Sorry about that, by the way," she added, looking embarrassed. He waved her off unconcernedly.

"Don't worry about it," he answered. "I understand now. I'm not offended; I've been there, remember?" He looked around at the clock, scrubbing at his face again. "You know…I maybe should go put in an appearance at the bakery," he said, sounding regretful. "Your mother will tease me to no end if she thinks I stayed the night with whoever she thinks my date was."

Marinette nodded her agreement. "It would be best not to give her any more ammunition. She can be relentless sometimes." There was a pause. "Let's exchange numbers," she said, taking out her phone and handing it to him as he copied her movement. "I'll get my homework done and then come over and give you all a hand. It will probably be this afternoon sometime. Just make sure you don't mention me; we're not supposed to know each other properly yet, after all, and officially, Jean Luc was never here."

Adrien gave her a mock-offended look. "I'm not that _crusty, _Milady! _Dough-_n't worry!"

Marinette giggled. "Adrien, that was a pretty _crumby_ joke," she teased, full-out laughing as he fake-pouted.

"I'm _leaven,"_ he grumbled, a sparkle in his eyes as his face brightened and he laughed out loud. He threw her a two-fingered salute as he transformed. "See you _a grain_ soon, Bugaboo," he teased, before exiting onto the balcony. Marinette was still laughing as she watched him slip away.


	11. Chapter 11

Adrien jumped back down into his room silently. He'd had to take the long way back to the bakery to avoid being seen, although it had still been close a couple of times. He quickly washed and dressed in clean clothing, carefully replacing his disguise before descending to the store to find an atypical rush in the bakery for this time on a Saturday.

"Oh! Jean Luc!" Tom called, catching sight of his protégée, "Perfect timing, son! We're getting swamped, and I have a huge order that's being picked up in an hour that I need to get ready! Could you please start a batch of croissants? We're almost out."

The younger man saluted him cheerily. "Sure thing, sir- uh, Tom," he corrected himself, getting straight to work. He pulled out his ingredients and utensils, letting himself get lost in the familiarity of baking.

It took quite a while, but in the time it took Adrien to finish his croissants, prepare several loaves of bread to bake, and frost a few dozen cupcakes, the rush had died down somewhat. He checked his phone, seeing Marinette had texted him a few minutes ago.

Marinette: Be there in 15. See you then

He smiled and his heart skipped a beat. He was glad she'd decided to come; he'd been a little worried she'd back out again. Though he couldn't exactly tell her parents she was coming, so they likely didn't know to expect her anyway.

At that moment, Sabine staggered to the back to take a seat for a bit, breathing a sigh of relief.

"Thank you for your help, dear," she said, helping herself to a glass of water. "We really appreciate it, especially since we were supposed to have given you the day off. I promise, you can have a real day off tomorrow."

Adrien smiled. "It's no trouble, Sabine," he assured her. His smile turned to a look of trepidation as she opened her mouth, a devious look flashing across her face. She was going to ask about his date…and he hadn't made up a cover story for himself yet. Just as she began to speak, a musical voice sounded brightly from the doorway.

"Good afternoon, Maman. Do you need any help?"

Sabine spun around in shock, then hurried to embrace her daughter.

"I'm so glad to see you, dear!" She cried, pulling the younger woman into a hug, which Marinette happily returned.

Adrien was sure his relief was written all over his face. "Thank you," he mouthed to Marinette behind her mother's back as she was pulled into a tight hug. Marinette quirked an eyebrow questioningly. "Later," he mouthed again, shaking his head subtly. She gave him a barely perceptible nod, pulling back from her mother, who pointed to Adrien.

"You remember Jean Luc, of course?" Sabine watched happily as Marinette gave him a shy smile.

"Nice to see you again, sir," Marinette said, extending her hand for him to shake. Adrien shot her a secret smirk before bowing low over her hand pretentiously.

"Milady," he greeted formally, kissing the back of her proffered hand. When he resumed his position, he had to fight to keep a straight face when he found that Marinette had gone scarlet. He found it even more difficult when he noticed Sabine watching her daughter with the utmost curiosity. Marinette seemed to shake herself, then turned to her mother, clearing her throat.

"S-so. What can I do to help?" She asked, struggling to regain her composure. Thankfully, Sabine let it go, consulting their list.

"If you two want to start on the pastries to go on the croquembouche for tomorrow's order, that would be fantastic," she suggested. "It's supposed to be one of the most enormous ones we've done in a long while. Why don't you make a quadruple batch? That should give us enough."

The Miraculous duo dutifully took out their supplies as Sabine finished checking the list once more. Marinette waited until her mother had left the room before fixing Adrien with a very stern glare.

"What on earth was that, Kitty?" She hissed as she rolled up the sleeves of her sweater. "I told you- she notices _everything._ You know she's probably going to bring it up later. We were supposed to be keeping it casual!"

Adrien put on a haughty, posh voice. "My dear lady, that _was_ casual," he smirked.

"I'd hate to see what formal looks like, then," she grumbled, though there was no bite to her words. He snorted. "Now. Do you want to make the custard or the puffs?"

"Doesn't _batter_ to me," he smirked again. Marinette rolled her eyes and moved to the stove to begin the custard.

"By the way, what were you thanking me for when I got here?" she asked curiously, turning back to him as they worked.

"Um…your mother was about to ask me for a play-by-play of my 'date' last night," he said, cheeks turning pink, though he gave her a crooked smile. "I didn't really feel like explaining that I'd met up with a certain gorgeous superhero instead," he breathed in her ear as he passed by her on his way to gather his ingredients, relishing in the sight of her once-again blushing face.

They carefully began adding the ingredients, mixing and stirring with the greatest concentration. Just as Adrien was shoving the first puffs into the oven, Tom appeared in the doorway.

"Hey, Lucky Bug! I didn't know you were here," he said, scooping Marinette up in a bone-crushing hug. "Are you staying a while?" He asked her hopefully. When Marinette nodded, he looked relieved. "Thank goodness. Are you two already working on something?"

Marinette shook her head. "The first batch of pastries for the croquembouche are in the oven, and there are quite a few more after that, so we're just waiting until they're ready for filling, which is also done. You need us to help with something?"

Tom nodded. "I have an order for ten loaves of bread at closing. I just finished mixing up the dough. Can you two be in charge of kneading?" They answered affirmatively, Adrien setting an alarm on his phone for the already-baking pastries. Tom turned back to Adrien. "Son, can you teach Marinette the new technique we've been using? She hasn't been in to help since we discovered it."

"Yes sir- uh, Tom," he replied, leading Marinette to where the bread dough was waiting for them, each of them grabbing a ball of dough and carrying it back to the counter. Adrien, knowing he was probably hugely under-qualified to teach the daughter of a baker anything about kneading bread, tried his best to hide his nervousness.

"Ok Mari, let's see what you've got. Show me what you're used to doing," he said, trying to sound confident. She picked up the ball of dough expertly, folding it in half toward her body and then pushing the whole thing away. The movement was reminiscent of the tide; a calm, relaxing movement.

"Ok, perfect. Now, the new technique we've been using is more like this." He picked up his own dough, throwing it firmly against the countertop. Using alternate hands, he pushed the dough in a roughly circular motion, moving in a diagonal direction across his body. Marinette watched for a couple of beats, making sure she understood exactly what she was being asked to do, then attempted to copy his movement. He let her practice a bit as he continued with his own work, then stopped for a moment to watch her.

"That's good," he praised her. "Really close. You just need to use a bit more pressure. Like this." He moved around behind her, setting his large hands on top of her smaller ones, showing her about the kind of force he normally used with the dough and helping her smooth her movements.

It was then that he noticed how close he was to her. He was practically holding her in his arms. Her back was pressed against his chest as he reached around her. He noticed that she was warm, and her hair smelled like flowers.

"Th-thanks," she stuttered out, pulling him back to the present. He moved so he could see her face; it was very red. He reluctantly let go of her and moved back to his own lump of dough. He supposed he should be thankful that no one had seen them. It would be hard to explain why she'd let him that close barely knowing him, after all. But he couldn't help but want to hold her in his arms again.

He cast about for a distraction, finding one in the form of his phone alarm reminding him to check the puffs in the oven. He removed them carefully, replacing them with another pan of the same puffs, setting another alarm, and deftly setting the finished puffs on the cooling rack before returning to his bread. He observed Marinette again, finding her kneading movement much more steady and strong than it had been previously. "Bien joue," he said softly. She shot him a bright smile; he'd give anything to see that smile more often.

"Hey, what do you say we play a game?" He asked her. "We can take turns asking questions and we'll both answer, ok?" She looked at him doubtfully. "Come on, we don't have to ask anything super nosy or personal. Here, I'll start. Favorite color?"

"Pink," she answered without having to consider. "The kind like a pink carnation, not like…hot pink or neon or whatever. You?"

"Blue," he answered automatically. "Like your eyes. Gorgeous," he breathed dreamily before he could stop himself. She blushed again, looking pleased. "Ok, your turn."

She thought for a moment. "Favorite music group or artist?"

Adrien's brow furrowed in thought. "I don't really know," he said. "I haven't really spent much time listening to music since I…since I got here." He looked at her meaningfully, and knew that she understood that he meant, 'since I lost my memories.' "I've heard some of Jagged Stone's music, that's pretty good, I guess. Not that I have much to compare it to."

"Jagged Stone is my favorite," she chimed in, taking a moment to examine her dough. "Just a second," she said, setting the finished dough aside to rise and leaving his side to grab another. She came back, setting her new lump on the counter before continuing. "I've been listening to Jagged Stone for years. Do you remember…well, I guess you hadn't…moved here yet," she said, casting him a meaningful glance, "but Jagged Stone was actually akumatized once," she said. "That was a pretty wild one. Ladybug and Chat Noir had to save that 'pop star'-" She held up her fingers in invisible quotation marks, "-XY, because he was going around calling Jagged Stone a has-been. As I'm sure you can guess, that didn't go over very well," she said dramatically, pausing as he took a minute to grab himself another ball of dough. "His crocodile turned into an enormous dragon and everything! It was absolutely insane!"

He listened, enthralled, as she animatedly told her story. "I saw the fan vids of that battle," he interjected. "It was pretty awesome." He chuckled before his expression turned confused.

"Why do you say that XY fellow is a 'pop star,' versus a real one?" He asked, mimicking her air-quotes. She grimaced. "Let me guess. He caused another akuma?"

"Yep," she said, popping the 'p' sound. "He and his talent-agent father stole someone's costume ideas and music and tried to pass them off as their own. One of the band members was really upset about the whole thing. Tried force XY's father to tell the truth and give their band a real chance to make it big."

Adrien opened his mouth to say something, when his alarm beeped again.

"I've got this one," Marinette insisted, dusting off her hands as she sauntered away to take care of the pastries. When she returned, Adrien spoke, resetting his phone.

"So…did they manage it? To get him to tell the truth?"

Marinette smiled mischievously. "No, the akuma didn't. But Ladybug and Chat Noir did," she winked at him. "I don't know all the particulars…" her face clearly told him she was pulling his leg, "but it seemed Ladybug tricked him into talking to her about his motives. He totally outed himself, and Chat filmed the whole thing unnoticed. On live television."

Adrien's jaw dropped. He'd _done_ that? _He'd_ done that? Marinette cast him a sideways glance, dissolving into a fit of giggles when she saw his expression. He recovered himself marginally and smirked.

"I thought things like that only happened in movies," he said, awe and amazement still lacing his voice. Marinette smirked back, and Adrien's stomach flipped as she whispered into his ear.

"Get used to it; you're basically living one, you know." He could only watch with a dazed expression as she walked away. She was going to be the death of him.

* * *

As the afternoon wore on, Marinette and Adrien had managed to finish kneading the bread, leaving it to rise while they assembled the remainder of the croquembouche. Once that was completed, they kept close watch on the loaves of bread as they baked, continuing their conversation. They kept up their game, which was punctuated with Marinette sharing stories about superhero battles.

By the time they finished their work, Marinette knew that Adrien's favorite kind of jam was marmalade, he didn't like tomatoes on his sandwiches but did on his salads, he wanted to visit Italy one day (he may have already, but he couldn't remember), and didn't have a favorite movie, since he had too many favorites to choose from.

In return, she'd told him that Chat was allergic to feathers, something that Adrien (thankfully) hadn't come into much contact with since he lost his memories, and that Chat had hated Christmas more than any other time of the year, though he'd never told her why. He'd always needed lot of extra cheering up over the holidays. Probably something to do with his mother, he reasoned.

They were just beginning to tidy up their work space when Tom and Sabine poked their heads in.

"Thanks so much for your help, you two," Tom boomed happily, seeing the finished loaves of bread already packaged and packed into a box for transport. "We never would have made it without you." He gathered the box in his arms, carefully hauling it out to the front, ready for pick-up.

The customer finally arrived to pick up the order, and the young duo quickly finished cleaning the bakery while Tom and Sabine chatted. They were just returning as Marinette turned to Adrien, fist extended. "Bien joue!" they chorused, as the elder couple watched with quiet amusement.

"Marinette, would you like to stay for dinner?" Sabine asked, looking hopeful.

"I'd love to, Maman," she replied, beaming.

* * *

Papillon made her way to the mayor's office. She'd been summoned to give an accounting of her activities as the new butterfly holder. Her stilettos clicked on the tiles as she walked.

She reached the door, pushing it open to find Nathalie sitting at her desk, making notes on a notepad.

"You wanted to see me, Madame Mayor?" Lila said, her voice sickly sweet, tapping her purple brooch she hid beneath her yellow scarf. Nathalie looked up at her setting aside her pen.

"Yes, Papillon," she said. "Our plan is going perfectly. Ladybug hasn't been seen in days. I want you to begin pretending that Hawkmoth is gone. If Hawkmoth leaves once Ladybug does, it will be easier to place blame on her later."

"Madame Mayor, I think I have an idea of who she is," Papillon offered, her face twisting into a scowl at the thought. Natalie's expression turned calculating.

"Interesting," she mused. "How certain are you?"

Papillon shrugged. "No hard evidence, but there's too many similarities for it to be a coincidence. I was preparing to see if I can find out for sure."

Nathalie looked thoughtful, then nodded. "Excellent. Just make sure Hawkmoth isn't obviously linked to it. Now, here's what we do next…"

* * *

A couple days later, Marinette was sitting at her kitchen table, contentedly working on her homework. As she worked, her phone buzzed with a notification. She smiled as she opened the text.

Kitty: Whatcha doin?

Marinette could almost hear the tone of voice he used, the kind with a teasing lilt to it. She giggled and answered back.

Mari: My afternoon class got cancelled, so I'm just doing homework at my place. You?

Kitty: Got off work early.

Kitty: Want to check out the fencing scene with me? Might as well get it over with.

Marinette paused, taking stock of her homework. The exercises she was working on wouldn't be due until next week, and she was caught up with everything else.

Mari: Sure. I'll be there in about 15. Is that ok?

Kitty: Yep, see you then :)

Marinette walked quickly to the bakery. She was happy to know that Adrien wanted to hang out with her enough to invite her along. He likely could have gone to ask for a fencing assessment all on his own, after all.

As she walked the last couple of blocks, a sudden prickling feeling on the back of her neck disturbed her. She glanced around, trying to figure out what would have caused her unease. However, it was easy to forget once she arrived at the bakery. Adrien was waiting for her, along with her mother, who was running the register. Her heart warmed at the way her partner's eyes lit up when he caught sight of her, and her heart skipped a beat at the look he was giving her.

"Milady," he intoned as he bowed deeply over her hand. She rolled her eyes at him, a smile playing at the corners of her mouth.

"Come on, you," she said, being careful to omit his true name from her sentence as she pulled him by the hand back out the way she'd come.

"Have fun, dears," Sabine's voice floated out after them. They waved, Marinette a bit tersely and Adrien a cheery one, before making their way toward the school across the street.

As they stepped out onto the sidewalk, Marinette's unease returned. She turned to Adrien, who was frowning slightly.

"You feel that?" she asked quietly. He gave her a short nod.

"I thought I was just nervous, though," he admitted, glancing around warily. "Come on."

They quickened their pace a bit, finally losing the…whatever was causing their jitters, as they entered Marinette's old school, closing the door swiftly behind them. Both of them breathed a sigh of relief. As they walked further into the building, Adrien stared around in wonder.

"This…this feels familiar," he commented vaguely. Marinette smiled.

"It should," she quipped. "Every single person in my class besides me was akumatized at least once. Some of them twice. Many of the incidents happened right here. Even without going to school, you were probably here often enough as to have earned an honorary degree." She led him into the gym area, finding the afternoon's extracurricular fencing class just beginning.

Monsieur D'Argentcour made their way over to them.

"I'm sorry, Madame, Monsieur, but I must ask you to leave," he said stiffly. "Only students allowed, you see."

Marinette put on a winning smile, holding out a hand to the elder gentleman. "Monsieur, I know you are very busy, but my friend here wishes to be tested in fencing. I went to school here when I was younger, and I heard you are one of the best fencing instructors in Paris, so we came to you." D'Argentcour looked at them warily. "Please. We would be happy to wait until your class has ended for the day, if you are more comfortable with that," she offered, hoping he would oblige them. She chanced a glance at Adrien, but he was in another world, completely zoned out. Perhaps some of his memories were coming back, she thought.

The raven-haired girl returned her attention to the fencing master, who was clearly still considering them.

"Very well," he said finally, shaking her offered hand. "Young man, go into my office and get suited up." He indicated the direction they should go. "Then you can watch until class is over."

Marinette brightened, shooting the older gentleman a friendly smile. "Thank you, sir!" she said happily, pulling Adrien with her towards the master's office.

Adrien was freaking out a little by the time he'd gathered the adult-sized fencing gear from the master's office, putting it on carefully. He emerged from the room, feeling slightly nauseous, to find Marinette waiting for him. He hoped he wouldn't make a complete fool of himself, especially since his Lady was there to watch. She greeted him with a bright smile, but he was unable to return it.

"What's wrong?" she asked, worry lacing her tone as she checked him over. He attempted to wave her off.

"I'm fine, Bugaboo, just a little nervous," he said, but when she took his hand, he nearly squeezed hers to death. She laughed softly.

"A little, huh?" she teased, trying to put him at ease. He smiled weakly. "Don't worry, Chaton," she said, standing on tiptoe to kiss his cheek. "You'll do fine."

"Just don't overthink it," Plagg said softly from his spot in Marinette's hair. "Go with your gut, kid. Remember, you took down an akuma with no powers and only an ancient sword for a weapon. You got this."

"Thanks, you guys," Adrien said, allowing Marinette to lead him to a bench on the side of the gym. He kept a tight hold on his partner's hand, but soon lost himself in watching the students practice. By the time the lesson was over, he was feeling much more confident, enough of his memories coming back to him to let him relax slightly. Once the students had gone, he stood and approached the master fencer.

"Alright young man, what sword do you prefer?" D'Argentcour asked him. Adrien considered his answer.

"Let's go with sabers," he said finally. D'Argentcour raised his eyebrows.

"Not a beginner, eh? Alright, sir. Let's see what you can do. Do you prefer the electronic score keeper, or the old-fashioned way?"

"How about no wires, please?" he answered. That would give him more of the range of movement he was used to as Chat.

The master's gaze flitted to Marinette. "Maybe your charming companion would consent to be our referee?" Adrien turned his gaze to his raven-haired friend, having a silent conversation with her before she rose and joined them.

"I don't know anything about fencing, Monsieur," she demurred. "But I'll be glad to help if I can."

"Good," he replied. He quickly explained Marinette's job to her, then reviewed the rules for Adrien. Then the two gentlemen took their places, pulling their masks over their faces.

"Pret?" Marinette called. "Allez!"

Adrien immediately jumped into action, feinting to one side, then lunging. D'Argentcour caught his saber with his own, parrying the attack. Adrien was agile and light on his feet, moving quickly outside the specified area. D'Argentcour seemed to welcome the challenge. The first bout ended after another volley of attacks with D'Argentcour finally landing the blow to Adrien's arm.

The second bout started differently, with Adrien waiting for D'Argentcour to make the first move. He ducked out of the way, then caught D'Argentcour in the chest with his sword. Now they were one and one.

The third bout saw both combatants lunging at the same time. Adrien parried the blow and danced out of reach, then lunged again, forcing his foe to retreat. His feet moved faster than he remembered them ever having done before. He spun and ducked, dodged and parried, until finally his ferocity caused the master to lose his footing. Adrien ended the bout with a flourish, his saber tip on his opponent's chest, then offered his hand. D'Argentcour took it, getting slowly to his feet.

"Good match, young sir," he complimented the secret superhero. "It's been a while since I had a challenge like that. Not since young Agreste went missing," he added, though Adrien couldn't be sure if he'd intended for them to hear, so kept his face carefully neutral. "Best fencer I've ever trained." The elder gentleman shook himself from his thoughts, shaking Adrien's hand. "I'd be honored to have you return, Monsieur…?"

"Chapain," Adrien offered. "And sure, I'd love to come back and train with you, sir," he added enthusiastically. "I'd be happy to help with your classes, too, if you need an assistant."

"Wonderful!" D'Argentcour clapped the younger man on the back. "Now…your young lady is waiting," he said with a wink.

"Oh, she's not my…" Adrien said, but then stopped. He could admit to himself that he liked the way that sounded. As Marinette bounced over to him and wrapped him in a bear hug (or, as much of one as such a petite person her size could give), he decided yes- he definitely wanted that. For her to be, "his young lady". For real.


	12. Chapter 12

In the weeks following, Marinette returned frequently to help Adrien and her parents in the bakery. By the second day, she was startled to find that she and Adrien worked as seamlessly in the kitchen as they did on the battlefield. She loved the feeling of being able to work smoothly around him in tandem, each knowing what the other was about to do or needed in order to accomplish the end goal. By the following weekend, she was coming to work with them nearly every day after her classes, settling into a happy, more positive routine.

The two of them had been practicing with his powers and sparring almost nightly as well, despite their worries that someone might catch sight of the two superheroes out and about. After just a couple of weeks, Chat Noir was back up to speed. Marinette admired his power and control as he fought against her. He wasn't holding back, but had tactically made sure he wasn't about to seriously injure her either. She had noticed how his eyes flashed in delight the first time he'd been able to pin her, before carefully helping her to her feet. She couldn't help the pride that swept over her, and the excitement at fully having her partner back.

Adrien also began to go to train with Master D'Argentcour a couple times a week. He would come and fight a few bouts with the instructor, then assist with his afternoon class for the high school students. Tom and Sabine, while missing his help, encouraged his newfound interest in the sport, happy to see him blossoming into such a confident young man. Marinette accompanied him each time, watching his progress with interest. A few times, the master agreed to let Marinette suit up and work with a foil. Adrien happily gave her pointers, and was pleasantly surprised when his Lady landed a hit on him during their first real bout. While not having any experience, she was small, fast, and strategic, giving her a bit of an edge.

Adrien had also sent a letter to his father. He'd carefully crafted the note, making sure to give nothing away as to his whereabouts. Then he'd delivered it to the mailbox as Chat Noir in the dead of night, being conscious to stay out of sight of the security cameras as he did so. Marinette could tell he was glad to have it taken care of. It seemed a huge weight was lifted from his shoulders.

The only thing that dampened her spirits slightly was the feeling of unease that had crept over the city with the absence of regular akuma victims. She couldn't help feeling that something was happening. It didn't help that that prickling feeling of being watched had returned several more times in the past few weeks as she walked around the city. It had the effect of making her perpetually nervous and jumpy. Adrien noticed her discomfort one day.

"Mari, what is it?" he'd asked softly one day as they worked side by side in the bakery frosting cupcakes. Usually this particular task would easily hold her attention, but today, she was distracted.

"Just wondering what happened to Hawkmoth. Nothing's been happening for days, and I…I guess I'm just waiting for the other shoe to drop. I'm worried it means he's up to something. Something big," she admitted. He nodded in understanding.

"Yeah, that's true. It is a little disconcerting," he frowned thoughtfully as he began boxing the cupcakes as Marinette finished decorating. "Maybe he's out of town? Or maybe he's given up?"

Marinette shrugged uneasily. "Maybe…" She trailed off, mulling things over. Now that she thought on it, there hadn't been any akumas since Ladybug had been dismissed. Just as she was about to voice this to her partner while they began to tidy up their workspace, Tom and Sabine poked their heads in the door.

"Wow, nice job you two," Tom complimented, gathering the cupcakes, which were part of a delivery order. "You were done in record time! That was a pretty good-sized batch, and they all look beautiful." Marinette examined their work; the five dozen cupcakes had indeed been finished quicker than they'd thought, even with her distraction taken into account.

"We're going to deliver this order. Marinette, would you watch the front until closing? And Jean Luc, you can keep on with the cleaning, alright? We'll be back in a flash," Sabine added, waving cheerily at them as she and Tom made their exit. Marinette followed them to take her place behind the register. It was late in the day, so the bakery was deserted except for the two of them. She turned around, leaning against the countertop with her back to the door and letting her mind wander.

She was still amazed at how quickly she felt comfortable again around her partner, even knowing he didn't really remember her from before. They were still friends, good enough friends that they could have fun chatting and working together for a whole afternoon without wishing to get away. She felt her face grow warm as she remembered his proximity to her as he taught her how to knead the bread dough that first day, his strong hands on top of hers.

She was startled out of her happy thoughts when the bell on the door jingled, signaling that she was no longer alone.

"Hi, welcome," she said, preparing to turn around when a familiar sneering voice made her freeze in her tracks.

"Marinette Dupain-Cheng. Well, this _is_ a surprise." Marinette gathered herself and turned to face the intruder.

The young woman was taller than she, her exotic olive green eyes glinting dangerously. Her auburn hair was done up in a fancy bun, and her expensive-looking Italian pants suit was an elegant charcoal gray with burnt orange accents. Her blouse underneath was also burnt orange, cut in a very deep v-neck that could _not _be appropriate for the office. Around her neck was a mustard-colored scarf, tied off to the side in a large bow. Marinette took a deep breath. Now was not the time to pick a fight. They were no longer fifteen, after all.

"Lila," she greeted, trying to keep her face and voice cheerful "What brings you here?"

Lila smirked. "Oh, just picking up some things for the mayor. I'm her assistant now, you know," she said airily.

Marinette rolled her eyes. "Nice try, Lila, you seem to forget I don't fall for your BS. You can't just make things up like that! It's going to get someone hurt one of these days."

Lila's face darkened. "You still sound just like Ladybug- still just the same high-and-mighty airhead you've always been." She let out an angry huff. "Come to think of it, it's better that Ladybug's been banished from civilized society, anyhow. One less of your kind of people to worry about." Marinette's fists clenched in anger behind the counter. Lila's smirk returned.

"For your information, _Marinette-" _she pronounced the super heroine's civilian name as though it were disgusting, getting right up close in her face as she fingered her official-looking security clearance badge, which hung on a lanyard around her neck, "- the mayor _trusts_ me. She's made me her_ personal_ right hand. I have more power in my little finger than you have in your whole being. And as such, I also have friends in high places. For real, this time."

She picked up a daisy sitting in a small vase on the counter, looking at it unconcernedly. "All it takes is a couple well-placed words to the right people-" she plucked off a number of petals, "and your dreams of being a fashion designer-" another handful of petals floated to the floor, "-and your parents' _pathetic_ bakery-" some more petals parted company with the stem, "and everything you love-" she paused, staring at Marinette with an evil grin as she crushed the remainder of the flower in her fist, "will be destroyed. So I wouldn't _bug_ me if I were you, Marinette Dupain-Cheng."

* * *

Adrien dutifully started on the dishes as Tom and Sabine left on delivery. Soon everything would be finished for the day and they could take some time to relax. He hoped Marinette was enjoying her time helping here, being with him and her parents. She'd seemed to become infinitely more upbeat the longer he spent around her. He'd even noticed her sparkle returning more and more often. Maybe it had something to do with baking, he thought. He knew that baking was a calming mechanism for him, and for Sabine; maybe it was for her, too.

He heard the bell on the door sound, but continued with his work. He knew it would be slow right now- it almost always was right before closing. Marinette was capable- she could handle it.

He returned to his work, carefully sanitizing the tools and baking paddles. Suddenly, his senses heightened. Something was wrong.

He shut off the water, wiping his hands on his apron before first peeking in to check on Marinette. What he saw made his heart skip a beat.

Marinette stood with her back to him so he couldn't read her expression, talking to another young woman with auburn hair, who was wearing a fancy business pants suit. The other girl was standing toe to toe with his raven-haired partner, looking at Marinette as though she were her mortal enemy. She was holding Sabine's daisy she always kept on the counter in her hands. He watched as the petals fell to the floor, plucked off by the girl's thin fingers.

"All it takes is a couple well-placed words to the right people," she was saying as she shredded the little flower, "and your dreams of being a fashion designer, and your parents' _pathetic_ bakery, and everything you love will be destroyed. So I wouldn't _bug_ me if I were you, Marinette Dupain-Cheng."

* * *

_Seventeen year old Chat Noir was angry. No, he was _way_ past angry. 'Livid,' 'seething in rage,' or 'boiling mad' might have been closer. He and Ladybug had been fighting a fencing akuma called Oni-Chan, who had been trying to destroy Lila. During one of the photoshoots Adrien had been at with her, Lila had sneaked up and taken a photo with her smartphone just as she kissed his cheek. He didn't know what exactly she'd done in the meantime, but somehow the photo ended up in the hands of Oni-Chan's civilian self, a girl from his fencing class he knew now had a crush on him- not that his father allowed him to see her outside of fencing lessons. The girl was furious, attempting to hunt down Lila in revenge. _

_During the course of their battle, Lila had attempted to separate the Miraculous Duo, screaming that she'd hurt her leg running from the akuma while Oni-Chan had advanced on Ladybug. Chat Noir had been duped by Lila, leaving his Lady so he could run Lila to a hospital when Ladybug had needed him the most, only to find out that Lila's leg was just fine. It had almost resulted in Ladybug's Miraculous being snatched by the villain and said villain running her through with her sword. Luckily, Chat had managed to think of a solution just in time._

"_You hate Ladybug that much?" He asked now, furious as he stared down at Lila, who looked unrepentant. "You should be ashamed of yourself! After everything Ladybug does to keep you and everyone else safe? You go and pull…something like that?!"_

_Lila's face turned dark, seething. "Ladybug is the one who should be ashamed," she growled, but refused to say anymore._

* * *

Adrien came back to himself, now understanding what he was seeing. This woman was lying, cunning, and dangerous, and she was threatening Marinette and her family! She was hurting the people he loved!

His heart thrummed in fear at her word choice. As the self-proclaimed King of Puns, he'd definitely picked up on a possible secondary meaning. Was she taunting his Lady with the idea that she knew Mari was Ladybug? Or was it merely a coincidence?

Before he had time to think on it further, he heard Plagg growl from his shirt pocket. "It's showtime, kid," he said, his cat eyes narrowed, casually picking at his claws like some dangerous villain from a movie.

Adrien squared his shoulders, taking care that his disguise as Jean Luc was firmly in place, before stepping out into the storefront. He fought to keep his expression neutral, though he wasn't sure he was quite managing it.

"Mari, can I help with anything?" He asked carefully as he stepped up behind her, setting a hand at the small of her back, though never taking his eyes off Lila. If he were a real cat, he figured he'd probably have his hackles raised. His instincts were screaming, _snake! _Before Marinette could answer, Lila interrupted.

"I was just asking her if you had any more of those apple tartlets," she lied smoothly, settling a dainty hand on her chest over her revealing blouse, not-so-subtly drawing attention. He mentally rolled his eyes. This woman had no class. "I bought some last week and they were _divine! _I wanted to get some for my boss, you see," she said, batting her eyelashes. Adrien narrowed his eyes at her, and opened his mouth to say something, but Marinette shot him a sideways glance, subtly shaking her head in warning. He swiftly changed tactics.

"How many do you need?" He asked politely. Marinette stood back to let him get by, looking overwhelmed.

"Oh, about a dozen," Lila answered. "Do you make them? They're so wonderful, you _must_ get me the recipe," she gushed, reaching towards him just as he quickly moved away to gather her pastries, ducking gratefully behind the counter.

"We only have eight of the apple tartlets, miss," he answered. "And no, I don't make them. My employer, Monsieur Dupain, is the master baker around here. If you need a recipe, I suggest you talk to him." He moved back from the counter, making sure to stay well out of her reach. "Might we interest you in something else to complete your dozen? We have some pear tartlets, or several strawberry ones, or perhaps some pain au chocolate?"

Lila let out a fake pouting sigh as she shook her head. The question at her reaction must have shown on his face because she answered, "My boss will be furious. She said she'd fire me if I come back without exactly what she asked for." He thought he might have seen Marinette roll her eyes at this, but he couldn't be sure. Lila brightened momentarily. "Maybe you can make me another batch? I'm sure you'd be a gentleman and help me out…" she gave him another glowing look, batting her eyelashes.

Adrien shook his head firmly. "I'm sorry, miss. We are closing down for the day. If what you said about your boss is truly the case, might I suggest trying the bakery down at arrondissement 23? Their apple tartlets are quite good as well."

Adrien could swear he saw lighting shoot from the young woman's eyes, though it was gone so quickly he may have imagined it as she shot him a glowing smile.

"I think I will do that. Thank you, sir." She winked at him cheekily, turning to leave, hips swaying sensuously as she did so.

* * *

As soon as he was sure Lila had gone, Adrien turned to examine Marinette. She was white as a sheet, swaying dangerously. One hand was gripping the countertop hard, her knuckles white.

"Milady? You don't look so good," he said tenderly, brushing her dark hair back from her face. "Maybe you'd better sit down." He supported her carefully with an arm wrapped securely around her waist, helping her to a chair positioned out of sight of the door. He pushed a glass of water into her hand. Once he'd made sure his Lady was safely in her seat and not going to pass out, Adrien hurried to lock up the store before returning to his partner's side. He sat crosslegged on the floor in front of her, looking up into her face expectantly.

He wasn't expecting her to shakily reach out a hand to him. He took it in both of his own, and she grasped at them tightly, looking terrified. He was starting to get worried.

"What happened?" He asked quietly, running a thumb over her hand soothingly.

"She- she's going to destroy me," she whispered. His eyes narrowed. He wouldn't let that happen.

"It's probably all talk," he protested reassuringly. "Lila isn't exactly known for her honesty."

She shook her head. "Not this time," she said, her voice trembling. "She's working for the mayor. All she has to do is tell some well-placed and well-timed lies and she can ruin my career, or my parents' business, or drive away my friends…she's already done it once…" she trailed off miserably before she seemed to understand something. "You remembered Lila?" She asked, brows furrowed.

He nodded. "I had a flashback when I saw her standing there. She- she tried to get you killed as Ladybug." A deep growl erupted from his chest at the thought of that snake hurting his Lady. Marinette just shrugged, not having seemed to have noticed.

"That was just icing on the cake. She's hated me- both Ladybug-me and civilian-me- for years," she admitted, before sighing tiredly. "It was my fault, actually. She and I had a crush on the same boy in lycée. When she moved here, she just…she was just so interesting- she said she'd been all of these neat places, and met all these celebrities- and everyone wanted to be friends with her. I just couldn't compare, and my friends wanted to hang out with her instead. I'll admit, I was pretty jealous. And then…then she told everyone that she was BFF's with Ladybug."

"Uh oh," Adrien gave her a small smile, attempting to lighten the mood, but she just looked ashamed of herself.

"Yeah. I-I kind of lost it. She was in the park talking to that guy we were both crushing on, going on and on about how close she was to Ladybug…and he was super impressed…and the next thing I know I'd swung in as Ladybug and basically called her a liar in front of him. And then she got akumatized. Because of me." She massaged her temples; she must be getting a headache again, he decided.

"I apologized as Ladybug, but Lila still didn't want to bury the hatchet. After that, she was homeschooled for while, pretending she went off on a trip on the other side of the world to save face after being akumatized. But when she came back to school, she was at it again! Telling lies left and right! And the only person who knew was me…and I couldn't even tell anyone how I knew she was lying, because the only reason I knew for sure she was lying was because I was freaking Ladybug! Everyone thought I hated her because I was jealous, that I was overreacting, so no one believed me.

"She cornered me in a bathroom after class one day, and told me to back off confronting her about her lies and give up on my crush. If I didn't, she told me she'd find ways to make sure all my friends left me. I ignored her; and she almost succeeded. She framed me for a bunch of things, like stealing from her locker and pushing her down the stairs, but I couldn't prove it wasn't me. I got expelled. Expelled! And then …everyone almost got akumatized. Including me." She finished in a near-whisper, eyes in her lap.

"The only reason why we're still here right now is because Hawkmoth released us all. I never found out why. And then, she lied again to put me back in school. Again, I still have no idea why. The whole situation never added up," she said, rubbing her forehead. "Maybe it's all related somehow…" she swayed in her chair, and Adrien reached up, putting his hands on her shoulders to steady her.

"Easy," he said soothingly, trying to calm her with his voice. "Easy." She was still staring at her lap, brows furrowed. "Milady, look at me," he asked. After a moment, she obeyed, her blue eyes meeting his brown lenses. "We will figure it out. But not now." She tried to protest, but he shook his head. "Now it's my turn to make the plan," he said firmly. "We're going to go upstairs, get you an aspirin, and drown your sorrows in some Mecha Strike VII. We're going to have dinner and hang out with your folks. And then you're going to go home and get a good night's sleep." She opened her mouth in protest again, but he interrupted. "We will address the issue of Lila later. I promise. But right now, you need a distraction and connection to people to who lo- uh…who care about you." His eyes blazed with determination even as a light blush colored his face. "Put that snake-woman out of your head. She doesn't deserve to have her threats ruin your happiness. If you choose that, she wins. Don't let her win," he finished passionately.

She finally closed her mouth and nodded, making to get up.

"Oh, no you don't," he exclaimed, hopping lightly to his feet and scooping her up.

"Chaton, I can walk," she complained vaguely. She struggled weakly against his grip to no avail before relaxing into his hold.

"Don't worry, I've got you."

He easily carried her up the stairs and into the apartment, gently setting her down on the sofa. She leaned her head back against the armrest and closed her eyes, attempting to relax as he ran to grab her the medicine she needed and another glass of water.

When he returned, he could clearly see the tension had settled in her shoulders. He handed her the things he was carrying and carefully placed his hands on the tense spots, beginning to firmly rub circles into the knots in her muscles. She stiffened under his touch, and he heard her sharp intake of breath. He stopped the movement, leaving his hands on her shoulders.

"Are you ok with this? I don't want to make you uncomfortable." He asked and she nodded.

"It's just really sore," she explained. "Thank you, though. My headache is getting some better."

He smiled a little. "Glad I could help, Milady."

He began again, a little softer touch this time. She gave a long sigh of relief as her shoulders relaxed a little at a time. The sound sent a shiver through his body. When he was sufficiently satisfied that she'd melted into the sofa, he stooped down and softly kissed her cheek. Her eyes shot to his in surprise, but then she smiled.

"Thanks Kitty," she said quietly. "Thanks for being here for me.

"No problem, Milady," he answered casually, though his heart was wildly doing backflips. Maybe she was more receptive to him than he'd previously thought. He pushed the thought away, covering for himself with a devilish smirk. "Now, how about I kick your butt at Mecha Strike?" Her own expression, though tired, morphed into a competitive grin.

"Oh, it's on, alley cat! You'll never be able to beat me!"

* * *

Tom and Sabine made their way up the stairs to their apartment. Each of them toted several bags in their hands, loaded with dinner ingredients. They had decided to quickly make a run to the store on their way home from the delivery, giving the two young people some extra time alone.

It had not escaped their notice (or Sabine's, at least) that the two had gotten along swimmingly as they'd been paired to work together several times recently. They'd worked together almost seamlessly as they crafted their pastries, which was astounding. It took years for Tom and Sabine to be able to coordinate like that. It must have been fate, they thought, that the two younger adults had met if their teamwork was that graceful already.

Sabine had also noticed Marinette's reaction to their charming assistant's greeting upon their first meeting, as well as every time after that. He'd been rather grandiose in his salutations to her daughter almost every time he saw her, and it made her smile to think of it. It was almost certain that the girl had a crush on the handsome young man who had attempted to sweep her off her feet, her blushes and shy smiles speaking for themselves. For his part, Sabine had also never seen Jean Luc so outgoing with a near-stranger. He'd tended to be rather reserved since he came to stay with them, only once in a while letting his wilder side show through. She'd never really seen the boy act the way he had with Marinette with anyone else. So what was the harm in letting them become a little better acquainted, the parents reasoned.

As they neared the door to the apartment, they were surprised to hear voices and laughter, along with a very familiar tune in the background. Tom put his hand on the knob, but Sabine pulled him back.

"What are you-?"

"Shh!" she shushed him, putting a finger to her lips and smirking slightly. Slowly and quietly, she eased the door open, hoping to avoid detection as a sliver of the room came into view. Peeking in, Tom and Sabine smiled at the sight that greeted them.

On the sofa, facing the television (and consequently away from the door) were two young adults sitting closely next to one another, their shoulders barely brushing; the young man had a mop of messy brown hair, and the girl had long, dark hair pulled into low braided pigtails interwoven with bright green ribbons. They had their attention focused on the fighting game they were playing. The ladybug-bot seemed to be giving the cat-bot a good thrashing.

"I don't understand it," Jean Luc was saying, sounding frustrated, pounding sharply on his controller keys. "You said you haven't played in months! And I've been practicing! For _all_ those months you haven't! Tell me how that's fair, Bugaboo?"

Marinette grinned at him. "I warned you you'd never beat me, Kitty. May I remind you it's 0 for 3 now?" Her fingers were flying over her controls in quick, precise movements reminiscent of typing or playing a piano. All of them watched as the ladybug-bot sent the cat flying yet again with a complicated combo.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," Jean Luc grumbled good-naturedly, before he growled in annoyance as his cat was thrown back again. It was then that he glanced at Marinette, who was laser-focused on the screen. He quickly glanced back at the screen before turning his attention back to her, a wicked grin spreading across his face. He turned back to the game for a few moments, feigning nonchalance as he maneuvered the ladybug into position, before he swooped down on the girl, capturing her lips with his.

Several things happened at once. Marinette gasped, turning bright red and freezing in shock, her fingers pressed to her lips where he'd kissed her as she stared at her partner. Jean Luc, for his part, was focused back into the game, taking her bot down with a flourish. He raised his arms over his head in victory, and when he faced Marinette it was clear that he was extremely pleased with himself, though a light shade of pink was beginning to appear high on his cheekbones. And outside in the hallway Marinette's parents let their mouths drop open, staring dumbly in shock.


	13. Chapter 13

When Marinette could think clearly again, she turned to Adrien, glowering.

"That's not fair! You cheated!" she pouted, crossing her arms over her chest, though amusement was apparent in her voice. He struck a pose, attempting to convey his awesomeness.

"You're just jealous that I'm the best, Milady," he teased.

"I demand a rematch," she grumbled, tossing her control to the side. "What _was_ that, anyway?"

Adrien leaned in close to her, and it took every ounce of her self control to hold his gaze as he whispered, "A distraction." She shivered as he lingered a moment, then backed away. She snapped back to reality, a spark of determination flitting over her face. Two could play this game. She put on a seductive look, before she leaned forward into _his_ personal space, causing him to scoot away from her slightly in shock. Evidently, he had not been expecting that.

"Well then, let's hope it's not contagious," she said softly through half-lidded eyes, lightly running her fingers up his shoulder and through the brown locks at the nape of his neck. She heard his sharp intake of breath at her touch, his body quivering. "I'd hate for _you_ to get…_distracted. _You'd have to relinquish your title." She drew nearer still, so close their noses were almost touching. "You are _the best_…after all." She could feel his breath on her face, which had become slightly ragged and his eyes closed as he swallowed hard. She laughed softly; inwardly, she was surprised at the effect she was having on him. He moved slowly toward her and…"Gotcha," she whispered, flicking him on the nose as she drew back, smirking at him as his eyes opened, startled.

"_Meow_-ch, Milady," he complained, rubbing his nose. He'd tried for some weak bravado, though she could tell he was still shaken. She was having a hard time containing her giggles as she watched him, dismay coloring his expression.

"You should see your face!"

He scowled. "It's not funny," he protested, his ears turning red, but that just made her burst out laughing…just as Tom and Sabine joined them. Tom's booming laugh told the younger couple they'd seen everything. Marinette's laughter caught in her throat.

_Oh crap._ Her face quickly became the same shade as her super suit. A sideways glance at Adrien told her that he wasn't any better off than she was. She clapped a hand to her forehead, simultaneously covering her eyes. _A _cat_-astrophe if there ever was one._

"Oh, she got you good, Son," Tom said through his chuckles while Sabine just smirked at them knowingly. "Our Lucky Bug always gives as good as she gets. And you should never get in her way while she's gaming." Tom's eyes sparkled as he added in a stage-whisper, "I've tried it, and let me tell you, it was a _huge_ mistake!"

Adrien finally found his voice. "Yeah…I noticed," he said deadpanned, shooting Marinette another disgruntled look. This time, she returned it. It had been fun to tease him a little, but she never, _ever_ would have done it had she known her parents were in the room.

"Why don't you two come chop some fruit for dinner?" Sabine asked from the kitchen. "With everyone's help, it should be ready in no time."

The two young adults silently did as bidden as Tom and Sabine began on soup and croque monsieur's. They worked in silence as they crafted their fruit salad, neither noticing the other peering at them out of the corner of their eyes.

Marinette's mind was whirling in the relative silence. Had he…tried to kiss her? He definitely didn't seem like he was playing at that point.

Now that she thought on it, the relationship between the two of them felt odd over the last few weeks since they'd discovered each other again. There were times that they were bold with each other, acting by feel in response to what the other seemed to need in that moment, or what seemed right- the first evening he'd come to her place as she stroked his hair, eliciting his loud purrs, came to mind. Or like when the akuma had nearly gotten her that night at the Tower. Or when his memory of his mother's disappearance returned, reducing him to tears.

Other times, though, they were skittish and shy, as though they weren't quite sure where the boundaries should be, each hyperaware of what the other could be thinking. Memories of earlier when he'd asked her permission as he attempted to work the knots out of her shoulders, or when they had tried to cuddle together on the sofa the first night he'd stayed over pushed into her mind. It only made sense, she supposed. He remembered very little of their partnership, even now that his memories were reappearing, and she hadn't wanted to push. His loss of memory could have changed his feelings for her, she thought, especially if he knew what their relationship had been like before. She hadn't wanted to open herself up to him to realize he didn't love her the same anymore; she didn't think she could stand it.

Was there a chance he was still the exact same Kitty she'd always known? The one who was still madly in love with her? She had evidence that pointed that way, but she didn't want to let herself believe it. She didn't deserve it, anyway. She'd pushed him away. She'd rejected him. He'd trusted her, counted on her, to keep him and Paris safe, and she'd failed. She didn't deserve to have him love her. Not after all that. She'd done horribly without him in his absence. Maybe if he hadn't left, everything wouldn't be so messed up.

She knew that his deserting her had been through no fault of his own. She instantly felt terrible for blaming him. He couldn't help what had happened to him. He was just doing his job, fulfilling his responsibilities. But she'd needed him and he hadn't been there.

Then again, it wasn't his fault her powers were broken. It was hers. Somehow. And now Lila might know her secret. She sighed. Those people on the news were right. She should just give it up and-

Her dark thoughts halted abruptly as she felt a gentle nudge to her shoulder. She sighed again, startled at just how far her negative spiral had taken her, and a little annoyed that she never could hide anything from her Chaton.

"You alright?" he whispered, looking at her in concern from behind his oval-shaped glasses. She nodded, not meeting his eyes. He nudged her again, his eyes blazing. "Don't shut me out, Mari. I'm not going anywhere. You're stuck with me."

* * *

Adrien was getting worried. As they continued to silently cut up the fruit, he could see the sparkle in Marientte's eyes diminishing, her shoulders becoming tense again. She was going to have to find solitude soon, or she'd probably try to run again. As he spoke to her, instead of reassuring her, her eyes filled with tears. It was then he knew he'd need to get her out of there. Fast.

"We're done. We're going for a walk before dinner," he announced a little hurriedly, dumping the last couple of berries into the bowl and grabbing Marinette by the hand as he led her from the room. "We'll be back in a bit. Don't wait for dinner on our account, though." Tom looked startled, but Sabine smiled.

"Have fun, dears. We'll save some food for you," she said, shooing them out the door. Adrien recognized a flicker of concern in the older woman's eyes as she glanced at the girl behind him. Sabine was completely aware of what was going on, it seemed. It looked like Marinette had been right; her mother's sixth sense told her everything.

Adrien didn't need to be told twice. He fled, Marinette close on his heels. Out the door, down the stairs, and into the park across the street they ran. They had barely found a spot under a tall tree before Marinette fell to her knees, hiding her face in her hands. He pulled her to him, keeping silent as she unleashed her feelings, letting hot tears drip down her face and onto his sweater. He didn't mind; he was content to wait her out. As he ran a hand up and down her back soothingly, he was startled to realize his comforting purr was rumbling through him, even without the suit on. She didn't seem to find this odd, but maybe she'd not noticed, he thought. After a while, she calmed slightly, though she didn't move an inch.

"Thank you," she whispered into his neck, sighing heavily. Her head was resting on his shoulder as he pulled away slightly to examine her. She looked exhausted.

"Do you want to talk about it?" he asked softly as his purr died away. He frowned when she shook her head.

"Milady-"

"Please," she pleaded. "No."

He sighed. "Mari, I don't want to push you on this. But it's hurting you to keep…whatever it is, locked up like you have been." He paused, considering what to do. "You trust me, right?" he asked, peeking at her through his hair.

She nodded immediately. "With my life," she whispered.

"Then why won't you let me help you? We're partners! I need you, and you need me! That's never going to change!" he said softly, though his tone betrayed his frustration. She said nothing. He sighed again. "Please. Trust me with this. Maybe I can help. And if I can't help, at least I'll be able to understand what's causing this and be there for you."

He observed her, trying to gage her reaction. She seemed to be considering him, though he could see the tension building as she rubbed at her forehead absently. He hadn't wanted to stress her out more. He backpedaled.

"Why don't we make a deal?" he asked finally. She looked up at him in confusion as his eyes blazed determinedly. "You tell me on your own terms…unless it becomes a pain point for you again. The next time this happens, where it's putting you at risk for akumas, I will not move from this spot until we talk about this. Paris can't afford to have you become a victim for Hawkmoth. And I can't afford it, either." He looked down at the top of her head, twisting his ring around his finger nervously behind her back. "It would destroy me if I ever had to fight you, Milady. If I had to hurt you to save everyone else."

As he realized what he'd just said, he was startled. He knew what he'd said was true, his feelings were plain as day. Yet, he knew they'd only been friends for a few weeks in his memory. The ones from before still sort of felt like a dream, really. But yet he knew with everything he was that he'd never be able to take out Ladybug.

He shook himself out of his thoughts, realizing she hadn't answered him.

"Please. You need to work through this so that never happens. And you need me- or someone- to help you. You know you do, otherwise you'd have this handled already," he continued. She still didn't acknowledge him, apparently lost in thought, though shivering slightly in the autumn air. He sighed and checked the time.

"Are you ready go back?" he asked. "Dinner is probably ready by now." When she nodded, he looked at her seriously. "And…you'll let me in next time?"

She hesitated, then nodded. "Ok. We'll talk next time." His eyes widened. He'd expected her to protest, if he was being honest.

"Promise?"

"Promise," she answered, though looking nervous at the thought.

_Good enough,_ he thought. _For now._

He stood, carefully helping her to her feet. He watched her for a moment; she was still looking nervous and her shoulders slumped miserably. He hated seeing her like this, all shine or sparkle missing from her countenance. Without thinking, he wrapped her tightly in his arms, hoping to convey that she would be safe and protected there, with him. She sank into his embrace gratefully.

"Everything will be alright," he reassured her. "It doesn't matter what happens. I would never intentionally leave you. You know that, right Bugaboo?" She met his eyes and he could see disbelief flickering in her blue depths. "Never," he said again, willing her to hear his heart through his words, for his own eyes to convey truth to her.

"You say that now," she said softly. "But-"

He shook his head, cutting her off by pulling her closer, her head tucked under his chin. He longed to drop a soft kiss in her hair, but he held himself back. Now was not the time. "'But' nothing. I'm not just saying things to hear the sound of my _purr_-fect voice, Milady," he joked, trying to lighten the mood. "I'm making you a promise. And I don't break promises. Especially not to someone I- I care about."

She looked up at him in surprise, but then buried herself again in his arms with a small smile. "Thanks, Kitty." She sighed. "I suppose we should go eat now."

"Finally!" Plagg squeaked from Adrien's pocket. "I'm starving! Let's go!"

Adrien and Marinette both laughed. Adrien took his partner by the hand, and together they walked slowly back to her parents' place.

* * *

The rest of their evening was rather uneventful, thankfully. Once they made their way back to the apartment, they found that Marinette's parents, despite what they'd said, had not had dinner without them. The Miraculous duo sat side by side, fingers intertwined under the table (it was lucky Adrien was ambidextrous, probably thanks to fencing) as they ate their sandwiches and soup quietly, enjoying the stories Tom was telling about his school days.

Sabine invited Marinette to stay for a movie night afterwards, but the girl declined.

"Thanks Maman, but I think I'm going to go home and go to bed," she said. "Maybe another night?"

"Oh. Alright dear," she relented.

"I can see her out," Adrien spoke up, flushing slightly as Sabine fixed him with a knowing look. He nervously pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose, but followed Marinette out the door to the apartment and down the stairs to the street where she turned to face him.

"Do you…want me to come over tonight?" he asked quietly. She met his eyes, a hopeful sheen showing through.

"If…if you want to," she said shyly, before determination flashed through her eyes. "You will always have a place with me. You know that, right Chaton?"

He smiled at her, pulling her into a hug. "Thanks Bugaboo." He stared down at her before leaning down to peck her on the cheek. "I'll be over in a while, ok? Just long enough that it won't look suspicious."

"Ok," she smiled, waving to him as she turned toward a nearby alleyway to transform just as a cold rain started to fall before swinging away.

* * *

A little while later, Marinette looked up from the book she was reading to a soft tapping on her balcony window. Seeing her Chaton standing there in the downpour, she smiled softly, letting him in. He jumped into her living room on all fours, and she caught a devious grin on his face.

"Chat," she warned, "don't you da-"

She cut herself off with a shriek as he shook the water from his hair and body, simultaneously spraying her with it. "Ugh!" she growled in annoyance as she wiped her face. "Do you _have _to do things like that? You're not a real cat!" He just smirked at her.

"You know you love me," he said, putting a soaking wet arm around her, which she hurriedly shrugged off, her face flushing crimson.

"Whatever, Kitty," she said, flicking the bell at his throat. He pouted playfully, transforming back into himself, now dry and in his sleepwear, his glasses and brown contacts noticeably absent.

"So? What's the plan for tonight?" he asked, sprawling out on the sofa as she smiled fondly at him. She never could get enough of his natural eyes. They were so vibrant and beautiful. She immediately curled into him and he draped an arm over her.

"Sleeping," she replied happily, resting her head on his chest before the pair of them quickly fell asleep.

* * *

An hour or two later, Adrien woke with a start. It took a few moments to remember where he was, but his musings were abruptly cut off as a flash from the window illuminated the room.

"Oh no," he groaned softly, the hair on the back of his neck standing on end. Why did this have to happen now? A loud clap of thunder startled him, and his arms tightened reflexively around the girl lying on his chest. She stirred sleepily.

"Adrien?" she mumbled, "What's wrong?" He shook his head, trembling slightly.

"I-it's nothing Mari. G-go back to sleep," he said, pulling her closer when another clap of thunder sounded outside. More fully awake now, she sat up to study him.

"Kitty? I didn't know you were afraid of thunder," she said, looking confused. "We fought weather akumas before, and you didn't seem to have any problems then…"

He tried to give her a casual deadpan look, but it fell flat as he shivered. "Th-thanks Mari," he said sarcastically. "I don't know why it scares me so much; logically, I know it can't hurt me here, but…there must be something I don't remember. That stretch this summer with all the thunderstorms was brutal. I didn't sleep much for, like, two weeks. It was terrible."

Marinette looked like she wanted to ask more questions, but seeing that he had buried his face in her sofa pillows and curled up into a ball with his knees pressed to his chest, decided to set them aside for now.

"Wait here," she said, moving to get up. Adrien shook his head, quickly standing to follow, all the while clinging to her hand. He felt like a baby, but he really didn't want to be left alone at the moment.

"I'm coming with you," he said. She shrugged, allowing him to walk with her as she pulled her huge comforter from her bed, wrapping it tightly around his shoulders. Then, she grabbed her laptop computer and a set of earphones, carrying them with them to the sofa.

"What do you want to watch? The sound of the movie will help drown out the thunder," she explained. He shivered again as another rumble of thunder sounded, louder this time.

"D-doesn't matter. Something loud. Anything." He looked at her, attempting to hand her one of his earbuds. "Don't you want to watch, too?" She shook her head.

"I don't have a sound splitter, and it's more important for you to be able to relax right now." She turned the volume up as loud as it would go. "Besides, I can just put on a movie I've seen before. It's alright, Minou, I don't mind," she tried to reassure him. He wasn't convinced. She settled him on the couch with his head in her lap, setting her laptop on the coffee table and beginning to card her fingers through his hair comfortingly as the movie began.

Unfortunately, the next BANG! of thunder outside was the loudest yet, sounding more like a gunshot than anything else. The headphones didn't help much to dampen the sound, and the vibration could be felt in the floor and sofa underneath them. Adrien tried his hardest to control his body's reaction, but he couldn't quite help how quickly he moved, ending up curled up in Marinette's lap like a real cat in hiding, the comforter pulled tightly over his head. He'd accidentally pulled the earphones out of his ears when he moved, and, to his consternation, he was trembling again. It was then he heard Marinette laugh breathlessly.

"Adrien…can't…breathe," she gasped softly, though he could still hear the quiet laughter in her voice. He quickly climbed off her, blushing fiercely as he peeked out from under the blanket.

"Sorry! Sorry, I-" Marinette cut him off, running a soft hand down his cheek. He leaned into her touch, still feeling ridiculous.

"Don't worry," she said kindly, taking his hand. "It's ok to be afraid."

He rolled his eyes. "Yeah, right. Who's ever heard of a grown man, a superhero for that matter, being afraid of thunder?"

It was then he noticed Plagg, who had floated over and perched on top of Marinette's head.

"Kid, if you could remember why, you'd cut yourself some slack," he said heavily.

Adrien frowned. "What do you mean, Plagg? What happened?" Marinette asked.

Plagg sighed. "A few years ago, you got in a fight with your dad. It was bad enough you were sure you would never move back to the mansion. You were so angry, you transformed and ran off. You didn't have any idea where you could go since you didn't know many people, so you resolved to live as Chat Noir out on the rooftops until you figured things out." Plagg rung his tiny paws, his luminous eyes glowing in the darkness. "That night, there was a terrible storm. You nearly got hit by lightning four times that night, before you finally found somewhere closer to the ground to take shelter."

Plagg gave a small smile as he recounted the next part of the story. "You were soaked to the bone. You jumped to the ground, in the middle of the night, in front of someone just starting their very early work day. Upon realizing who you were and that you were freezing and half scared out of your mind, the baker brought you in, sat you by the oven to dry, and fed you breakfast," he said. "Spots' parents have been bringing in strays long before they took Jean Luc in," he added, smirking at the nonplussed looks on their faces.

"After you'd recovered to a degree, you decided to go back home. But you made sure to buy your own apartment after that incident so you had somewhere else to go if things ever blew up with your father again. You couldn't bring yourself to leave your only family," Plagg explained, sounding annoyed at his attitude towards his father. "Not that he deserves it."

Adrien flinched as thunder rumbled again, burrowing into Marinette's side. Thankfully, it wasn't as loud as before. "That probably explains why the bakery drew my attention, that first day when I woke up with no memories," he said thoughtfully. "I thought it was just because I was hungry," he admitted with a sheepish smile. "Then again, I remember having a massive headache when I woke up, so it's a wonder I could even think at all at that point."

Marinette was looking indignant. "Kitty, why didn't you tell me?" she said. "You can't just wander the streets alone like that! I could have done something-"

Adrien shrugged uncomfortably. "I don't remember any of this, Mari, so I can't really explain what I was thinking. Probably that I didn't want to worry you or something." He faltered at the look she was giving him. "I promise I'll let you help from now on though, ok?" he said, squeezing her hand. Her face softened a fraction.

"Good," she said. "You're part of our family now, Minou. Don't ever forget that." She pretended not to notice the way his eyes brightened with tears as she gently guided him back to their previous position and handed him back the earphones. He gratefully stuck them back in his ears as Marinette restarted the movie.

As he focused in on the sensation of her hands in his hair and the movie, he slowly released the tension from his muscles. His quiet purr sounded through the room. He noticed Marinette's movements stuttering, then her hands stilled. He carefully looked up to see she had fallen asleep again. He took off one of his headphones, listening experimentally for a moment. The thunder was gone. He breathed a sigh of relief as he closed the laptop, setting the earphones on top, and relaxing into his partner. It wasn't long before he had fallen asleep, too.


	14. Chapter 14

A few days later, Adrien stood in the kitchen in her parents' apartment next to Marinette as she looked for a recipe on her phone. Adrien leaned in close, peering over her shoulder. They had taken it upon themselves to fix dinner for her parents that night since they had a couple late deliveries to take care of.

"What's your favorite?" she asked him, appearing to be having a hard time deciding.

"Me?" he asked, a little stunned. "Um…" He thought for a moment, gently prying her phone from her hand and typing in a few characters. "This," he said, holding up the device so she could see. Her eyes widened.

"How did you get your father to let you have that?" she asked. He shrugged.

"I…don't really remember? Maybe it was one of Maman's favorites or something. Or a special occasion."

"Oh," Marinette said, looking embarrassed. "Right. Sorry." She sighed. "Sometimes I forget you don't remember a lot of things from before. You generally act the same." She looked at the clock. "Well, if we're making that, we better get started.

Working in perfect sync, they moved around the kitchen in an intricate dance. Dinner was finished in record time, and by the time Tom and Sabine returned, they had the table was set with a perfect coq a vin, asparagus, and baby potatoes, and hazelnut crepes for desert.

They spent a perfect evening, the young duo feeling perfectly at ease. As they finished their meal, Marinette challenged Adrien to a Mario Kart battle while Tom and Sabine took the clean- up duty.

"Anyone up for a movie night?" Tom asked as the elder couple re-entered the room.

"I'd be game," Adrien said, frowning in concentration as he impatiently pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose, not taking his eyes off the screen. He was doing fairly well, but Marinette was once again in the lead. But Marinette shook her head.

"I'd love to, but I have homework that's due tomorrow. I have to get home and finish it up," she sighed. "What? Hey, no fair!" she protested as Adrien's character hit hers with a lightning strike, allowing him to take the lead just as they crossed the finish line.

Adrien smirked. "And that's how it's done, Bugaboo," he said happily, raising his arms in victory as she pouted. Then she sighed in defeat, putting her controller down and standing up to give her mother and father a kiss goodbye.

"I'll see you out," Adrien offered, completely missing the knowing looks from the future in-laws (or so they hoped, anyway) as he followed her out the door and down the stairs. This had become a regular thing with them. She would visit, and he'd show her to the door at the end of the evening. Sometimes they'd meet up to spar or have a sleepover at her apartment later, unbeknownst to the parents, sometimes not.

"Will I see you later?" Adrien asked hopefully as she readied herself to go outside, pulling on her jacket and scarf. She shook her head reluctantly.

"I really do need to get my homework done," she said. "I'm going to take the long way home tonight I think, though." She shot him a meaningful look. "I could do with a little fresh air, and there's no telling how many more decent evenings we'll have. Winter isn't too far off, you know." He nodded, softly kissing her cheek.

"Later, Bugaboo," he said with a jaunty two-fingered salute. She winked at him.

"Bug out," she whispered softly, before opening the door and disappearing into the night.

* * *

Marinette had made her way around Paris at night hundreds of times. As Ladybug, being out at night was practically a full-time job. But she had to wonder at how different it was to walk around at night on the streets. She hadn't done it recently. Often when she was out alone in the dark, it was as her alter-ego, swinging swiftly through the rooftops.

The longer she walked, the more unsettled she became. A prickling feeling on the back of her neck told her she was being watched, and she was fairly certain it wasn't her Kitty watching her.

Her heartbeat pounded in her chest, her adrenaline spiking. Mentally, she ran through her options. Transforming into Ladybug was out- if someone saw her they'd possibly get her identity as well as getting to have Ladybug arrested. Running quickly home was out, too. There was no way she thought it a good idea to lead some stalker or predator to her apartment that she lived in alone. She could text one of her friends, but didn't want to put anyone in danger by linking them to her if it was, for some reason, a targeted attack. And getting a hold of Adrien was out, because, while she knew he could look after himself, she didn't want anyone to know Chat Noir had returned, or that she had ties to him outside being superheroes. On top of that, she didn't know if she could go on if something happened to him again.

Finding she had no good options, her worry and fear skyrocketed. She thought she could hear quiet footsteps behind her now, though every time she turned to look, no one was there. She took a deep breath, remembering something she had learned once in a self-defense class she'd taken her first year of university, taken at the behest of her father.

"Someone trying to harm you will likely want to take the path of least resistance," she remembered the instructor telling them. "The single best thing you can do is to be confident. If they think you're unlikely to fight back, you make yourself more of a target."

"Stand tall. Show them you're not afraid," she recited to herself out loud. While Marinette was small and light, she knew she could hold her own in a fight without her powers, as long as she wasn't ambushed. Although, she didn't want to give herself away as Ladybug by being able to fight. No one would expect tiny, aspiring designer Marinette to be able to take down someone three times her size and weight.

She kept walking, deciding to circle back around toward the Eiffel Tower instead of going back to her apartment. That area was well-lit and still highly populated at night. It would be a safer place to hang out until she figured out what she should do.

She could still hear the footsteps behind her. Thankfully, it seemed they weren't trying to chase her down to grab her, just tailing her from a distance.

She reached the well-lit Trocadero, finding herself a conspicuous place to sit where she could see things coming from a distance. She didn't want to put herself in such an unnoticeable spot that, if someone tried something with her, no one would notice. The back of her neck was still prickling, the tiny hairs standing on end. She feigned unconcern as she took her sketchbook out of her bag, pretending to work on a drawing while subtly looking about for signs of the person stalking her. If someone looked closely though, they'd be able to see her hands were shaking too badly to draw.

"Tikki," she hissed. "This is bad. Do you have any suggestions?"

"No, Marinette," Tikki said softly. "You did a good thing getting to a public place though. Quick thinking!"

"Yeah, but now what?" she muttered, trying to look as though she were mumbling to herself as she considered her work. "We can't stay here all night; people start to disappear around nine or ten. That's pretty soon. If someone wants to try something, they shouldn't have any trouble once there aren't any witnesses."

"Call Adrien," Tikki whispered. "He needs to know-"

"No." Marinette said firmly. "I can't let him get hurt again. And Chat isn't even supposed to be alive anyway." Tikki didn't argue. She surreptitiously looked around. "What I don't get is why whoever it was didn't just grab me before? I might have been able to outrun them, but they wouldn't know that. I'm easily smaller than most people. It would have seemed simple to make me do what they wanted…unless…"

"Unless they know you and suspect that you're Ladybug," Tikki finished. Her voice sounded concerned.

"Yeah. Or work for someone that does," Marinette muttered.

With that unsettling thought, Marinette set her sketchbook down on her lap, glancing around more obviously this time. Something was very, very wrong about this.

"Princess!" A familiar voice rang out across the square. She caught of Adrien making his way toward her. She fought to not let her relief show on her face, but she was sure he could read it from her eyes. Like always.

When he reached her, she stood, attempting to confidently take both his hands in hers and look lovingly into his eyes.

"Play along," she whispered, and she barely had time to register the questioning look he gave her behind his oval-shaped spectacles before she kissed him full on the mouth. He stiffened, and she could hear his sharp intake of breath, before he wrapped her in his arms, kissing her like there was no tomorrow. It was desperate and tender, fear filled and loving, all at the same time. So intent was she upon continuing to kiss him that she almost forgot about everything that had happened. Almost.

"Where were you, cheri?" she asked in a carrying voice as she pulled away from him. She could see he looked a little dazed. "I was worried you'd stood me up."

Adrien chuckled a bit, though instead of the usual twinkle, his eyes were blazing with fire and passion. She'd never seen that kind of look from him before. "Never. I just stopped to pick up…this." Out of nowhere, he produced another deep red rose. She fought down a blush.

"It's beautiful. Thank you," she said to him sincerely, tucking it into her sketchbook. "So? What did you have planned?"

Adrien winked at her, poking the tip of her nose. "Ah, that's a secret, Princess." He offered her his arm and together they turned and walked away, Adrien leading her back in the direction he'd just come from. Adrien began to unconcernedly chatter about this or that movie he'd seen, Marinette just basking in the relief that came from his presence.

When they got to what they considered to be a far enough distance as they disappeared down into the metro, and Marinette was satisfied that they were no longer being watched, she nudged Adrien. They silently conversed, Marinette asking with a raised brow if Adrien could sense anything. He imperceptibly shook his head, and they both breathed a sigh of relief, shoulders drooping as the tension released slightly.

He turned to her, studying her intensely.

"Are you alright? Are you hurt?" he asked in a rush, checking every inch of her he could see. She shook her head.

"Not hurt. Just shaken." She looked at him. "I have questions, but we can't talk here."

He nodded. "I have questions, too. Let's go back to your folks' house," he suggested. "It's relatively close, and they won't mind if you stay the night." He looked at her through his hair, before he mumbled, "Besides, I'm not letting you out of my sight again tonight."

She just nodded, allowing him to steer her onto the train that would take them nearest the bakery. She was grateful for his warmth and protection as he held her close to his side. She sagged into him as the adrenaline rush began to die down, leaving her exhausted.

In no time, he was leaving her on her parents' doorstep as he ran into an alleyway nearby to transform and hop back up into his room so as to escape detection. He'd told Tom and Sabine that he was going up to bed early, so they wouldn't have expected to see him at their front door. He discretely kept an eye on her until she'd disappeared inside, then vaulted onto the balcony and out of sight.

* * *

Adrien was pacing his room, his mind racing. What on earth had happened? He needed to talk to Marinette. He supposed in a couple of minutes he could pretend to wander down having heard voices or something. Yes, he thought he'd do that. After that…well, his mind never worked well with plans anyway. He'd make it up once he got there.

He took a deep breath, willing himself to be as nonchalant as possible, before opening the trap door and veritably bounding down the stairs toward the kitchen. He slowed and quietened his steps as he came closer so he could hear.

"It was pretty scary," Marinette was saying to her parents as they sat around the breakfast bar in the kitchen. Sabine was bustling about making a cup of tea as she listened, and Tom was looking murderous at the thought of his daughter being tailed by some unknown creep. None of them noticed him. "I was just walking home and the next thing I know…well, it was almost like one of those movies; you know, like that weird feeling you're being watched? Yeah, that's what it felt like. Absolutely terrifying. I remembered my self defense class and tried to pretend like I was calm and confident, and whoever it was followed me all the way back to the Trocadero. I was waiting there in the light, trying to figure out what to do, and…" She finally caught sight of Adrien and her eyes softened. "…and an old friend happened by and walked me back here."

Adrien's heart skipped a beat at the look she was giving him. He was so glad she was ok… He kept quiet as he rummaged through the fridge under the pretense of looking for a snack before bed.

Tom and Sabine exchanged a look.

"We want you to stay here for tonight," Sabine said firmly. "I don't want you out wandering the streets in the dark."

Marinette looked relieved. "Thank you, Maman. I'll be fine on the sofa, don't worry."

Adrien spoke up now. "You can take my bed. It's technically yours, anyway."

Sabine looked at him with pride. "Such a gentleman," she said happily. Marinette, though, shook her head.

"This is as much your home now as it is mine, if not more," she said with a smile. "I'd feel bad about displacing you. Besides, I think I'll just watch a movie for a while anyway. Not sure I'd be able to sleep right now, even if I wanted to…and I really do want to…it's just…"

"The adrenaline rush," he finished for her, nodding. "I can…keep you company for a while. If you like. I was…having trouble sleeping anyway."

She nodded. "That would be nice, thank you," she replied with some composure, though he could read the relief flooding her eyes. Sabine went to find a pillow and blanket for her daughter while Tom leveled Adrien with a stern look.

"Now, Son, I like you. But any funny business-"

"Oh, Tom, stop it," his wife chastised him as she reappeared with an armful of bedding. "They're adults. Besides, they're both honorable, responsible people. We can trust them," she added with a look to the two of them that clearly said, "Prove me wrong and you're in deep trouble."

"Well, we're heading to bed. Jean Luc, you have the day off tomorrow. So don't worry about getting up first thing. We've got it."

Adrien nodded from his spot at the now-vacated breakfast bar. "Thank you. Goodnight Mad- uh…Sabine. Night Tom."

Tom waved. "Night kids. Don't stay up too late," he winked at them and they were gone.

* * *

The second the parents were safely ensconced in their own bedroom, Adrien closed the space between them with three long strides, wrapping his partner safely in his arms. She sagged into him, finally letting all composure fade away completely. He held her as her body trembled and her breathing came in short gasps, letting his purr rumble quietly to calm her.

"Shhh," he soothed. "You're safe now. I'm here. You're safe."

She allowed him to calm her, burying her face in his chest. "Thank you for coming for me," she whispered. He tilted her chin up, forcing her to meet his eyes.

"I will always come for you," he said sincerely. Marinette raised an eyebrow.

"Have you been watching the Princess Bride, Kitty?" He looked at her in confusion and her jaw dropped. "Oh. My- We have to watch that. It's a classic!"

He watched her as a bit of her sparkle returned, before he interrupted her.

"Milady," he said heavily. "I- I think we need to talk about what happened first. Sorry. But it will be better to get it over with. Then we can watch whatever you want. Plagg, Tikki?" He called. "We're probably going to need your advice."

The two kwamis made their appearance, settling down on the coffee table as the two young people made their way to the sofa. They sat down half facing each other, each with a leg tucked under themselves, knees touching.

Reluctantly, Marinette recounted everything she could remember about the encounter.

"Tikki and I think whoever is behind this knows me and suspects that I'm Ladybug," she finished unhappily. "We couldn't think of any other reason they wouldn't just grab me."

Adrien felt incensed by her admission. He shifted uncomfortably. "Unfortunately, I think you're right," he said finally. "Being as small as you are, if it were a random attack, they probably would have just…done whatever they were going to do. No, this sounds premeditated. And very specific."

There was silence as they processed this. Then Marinette shattered it with another question.

"How did you find me?" she asked, looking at him curiously. He frowned.

"I'm- I'm not really sure," he admitted. "One minute I was getting ready to sit down to play a round of Mecha Strike with your dad, and then the next I felt like something horrible was about to happen. I made my excuses to your parents and went up to my room to transform. As soon as I was in the suit, it seemed like I was somehow being drawn to you. It was all instinct. I followed it and found you at the Trocadero."

"It became apparent to me that I couldn't just hop down there as Chat. It could give you away or put you in danger, and Chat isn't supposed to even be alive. And my senses were still picking up danger, but I couldn't exactly tell where from." His cheeks grew warm as he remembered what came next. "So I de-transformed and hoped you wouldn't mind putting on a little show. Somehow, we seemed to be on the same wave length."

She tried to smile at him, but it came out as kind of a grimace. "We should be able to be, we've been partners so long," she remarked. He shifted uneasily.

"What are you going to do about the stalker?" Plagg asked from the table, pulling the discussion back on track. Marinette looked upset.

"I don't know. I don't think I want whoever that was to be able to follow me to my apartment. And I can't stay with a friend for that very same reason. I don't like that I've put Adrien in a dangerous position, now that he's been seen with me, but he's more likely to be able to handle whoever it is than my other friends. And I know Maman and Papa are probably in danger now, too, but…I don't know. It just feels safer here with all of us in one place."

"Your parents will never send you away Mari, you know that," Adrien chimed in. "You can probably ask them if you can camp out here for the next little while." Adrien looked at her warily before he spoke again. "Actually, I think you should stay here with me for a few days anyway, or perhaps I could stay at yours. If something else happens, I want to be able to protect you. And I don't think you should try to go anywhere alone, especially at night." He knew he was probably playing with fire at these words, but he didn't care. As expected, Marinette narrowed her eyes at him.

"I can take care of myself, Adrien. Anyway, you won't be able to be with me every minute. I still have to go to classes, and you still have a job. It's not practical for us to do such a thing."

Adrien frowned back. "Then take a few days off," he said firmly. The intense look in his eyes grew as he continued. "Milady, your safety is more important than anything else in the world to me. If someone is targeting you, we need to catch them before we send you back to your regular activities. Period."

She looked at him in surprise, cheeks flushing, but didn't attempt to argue further.

"Do you think Lila's involved?" she asked suddenly. "It seems like a pretty big coincidence given that this happened just after she visited earlier this week trying to threaten me."

Adrien scowled. "If it is her, she must be pretty confident that she won't be caught. Otherwise she'd have stayed far away so there couldn't possibly be any link between her and whatever happened."

He thought for a moment. "Do you think whoever it was has Miraculous powers? Or should we be calling the police and giving them a report or something?" he wondered.

"I think you should let the police know either way," Tikki squeaked. "Since we don't know what we're dealing with, we should err on the side of caution. The more people you have looking out for this situation, the better. Especially because you can't openly be Ladybug anymore without someone trying to arrest you."

Marinette nodded. "If it's something that's dangerous for more than just me, we better make sure Paris is as protected as possible, with or without Ladybug."

Adrien grimaced. "Unless you actually saw someone though, it's unlikely that the police will be able to do much. They may not take you seriously or dismiss you immediately; and they won't be able to track someone they can't see since they don't have any powers."

Marinette sighed. "So unless we actually have a visual on this person or people, we keep quiet."

"Right." Adrien's eyes bored into hers. "All the more reason for you to stay. You're safer here with me than with anyone else in the entire city. I will never allow anyone to harm you," he said tenderly, reaching out a tentative hand to brush her hair away from her face. She nodded and blushed at the intensity of his gaze, and he snapped himself back to the present. "Now, how about that movie?"


	15. Chapter 15

A while later, Adrien was curled up with his head in Marinette's lap again, purring softly as she stroked his brown hair. His glasses lay forgotten on the table. Marinette was right, this was definitely one of the best movies he'd ever seen. But something was churning in his mind, and his curiosity was getting the better of him.

"Mari?"

"Hmm?" she asked, watching as Buttercup insisted yet again to the wicked prince that her love would save her. He studied his Lady, and a wave emotion swept through him. Love and safety and sheer terror, all rolled into one.

"Do you…love me?" he blurted. Her eyes snapped to his face in surprise. _Great,_ he berated himself. _You'd think I'd at least be able to lead with the right question when it's something this important._ She was staring at him, mouth slightly open. No going back now.

"Wh-what?" she asked, looking a bit dazed. He pushed himself up out of her lap to look at her properly. He ran a hand through his hair nervously, peeking up at her through his bangs.

"I…that kiss earlier," he explained disjointedly. "I know it was supposed to be for show, but…" he sighed, blushing in the darkness, hoping against hope he wasn't freaking her out. "…but it really was perfect. It may have not meant anything to you….but it certainly meant everything to me," he finished quietly.

It took a few moments for Marinette to find her voice. "But…but how? You barely remember anything about before, right? How-"

He shook his head sheepishly. "I don't know. I'm just kind of…going by feel right now." He met her eyes through his hair. "If it helps…I remember more about you than about anyone or anything else. You were definitely the most special person in my life before all the mess with my memories. And that's still true now." He took her hand with a small smile, encouraged when she didn't pull away. He was still terrified though as he laid his heart bare for her to see. "Mari, I love you. With everything that I am. You are my other half, the fire in my heart, the music in my head. My partner. My friend. My love. My home. My family." He sighed. "I saw what we were before, in the videos, and I understand if you feel the same as you did then. But you are absolutely perfect for me in every way, and-"

"Yes," she whispered. His eyes widened.

"Wh-what?" he whispered back, barely daring to hope. Had he heard right?

"Yes. I do love you, Adrien," she repeated softly, her eyes brimming with tears, the movie forgotten. He frowned.

"Then what's wrong?" he asked, hoping she wasn't going to tell him it was love like she had for a friend or something else equally heart-shattering. She must have sensed it because she gave a choked laugh.

"Nothing like that," she said. "I…I just thought that your feelings might have gone with the memories. You see…I didn't realize I loved you- truly loved you…until you were gone. At one point, I thought I was never going to be able to tell you-"

Not able to contain himself any longer, he gathered her into his arms, kissing her soundly. Joy radiated through him. She _loved_ him. She loved _him._ His own eyes filled with tears, as though his subconscious was telling him how much he'd longed for her, how much his heart had ached when things hadn't worked out before. He felt more alive than he'd ever felt in his living memory. His heart was about to burst. He kissed her again, pouring all his love, tenderness and passion into that one gesture. Suddenly, a power radiated through him that was enough to make him gasp in surprise, pulling away.

"Did you…did you _feel_ that?" he whispered in awe. She nodded, her blue eyes wide in shock.

"Adrien! Your- your hair…" He looked at her quizzically before she pulled him with her into the bathroom and his jaw dropped in amazement as he gazed into the mirror.

Staring back at him was his own reflection. His _true_ reflection. His hair was golden blond again, and his emerald eyes shone in wonder.

"How…?" But Marinette just shook her head, not able to say a word.

Tikki and Plagg floated over, but they looked as surprised as he felt.

"Did anything about you change?" He asked, turning his sparkling green gaze on her. She checked herself over.

"I don't…I don't think so," she answered finally.

He checked her appearance once more himself, satisfied that nothing else had changed, before she turned to him, looking serious.

"What are you going to do now?" she asked. "You probably aren't going to be able to hide that before morning. Maman and Papa are going ask questions." She sighed. "Also, I'd hazard a guess that it was magic that changed you back to your real self. Maybe it won't work to hide your hair a second time."

He shrugged unconcernedly. "Maybe it's time to tell them the truth," he suggested. "Really, your parents are probably the only people that are going to notice. When I'm working in the bakery, I'm almost exclusively making pastries in the back, so no one will probably notice the change besides them."

She considered this for a moment. "How are we going to tell them the truth without letting them know about our superpowers?"

His brow furrowed then, and his shoulders slumped in defeat. "Good point," he mumbled.

He put his arm around her shoulders, leading her back to the sofa as he watched her mind whirring away. "We can just tell them we got bored tonight and I decided I was going to dye your hair on a whim," she suggested finally. "That seems like a plausible thing I might do; it's the artist in me." She grinned as if at some inside joke. "If your day normally goes like you said, you'll probably be fine. Just make sure to keep your glasses on, or you'll be recognized for sure." She considered him for a moment before snuggling back into his side. "You know, I've always really liked your glasses. They're quite Clark Kent-esque, don't you think?"

"Huh?" he looked at her, confused. Her jaw dropped.

"Don't tell me you've never watched Superman either?" He shook his head.

"At least, I can't remember that I have," he amended. She sighed.

"Looks like we need to educate you, Kitty," she said in faux-exasperation as she yawned sleepily.

They curled up together, shutting off the television as they did so. Within minutes, they were both asleep.

* * *

Marinette woke the next morning to the sun streaming through the window. Her tired eyes picked up a glint of gold. Blearily, she blinked, waiting for the gold glimmer to focus. As she finally caught sight of her handsome partner, sound asleep in his clothes from the day before, she smiled. She happily remembered the previous evening and the beautiful words Adrien had woven together to create a _purr_-fectly poetic confession of love. He still loved her!

She reached up cautiously to run her fingers gently through his golden locks, marveling at how soft they were. Adrien stirred at her touch, letting out a low moan as he stretched. He blinked sleepily down at her.

"Morning, Bugaboo," he mumbled. She could see a thought cross his mind, and he smiled, tilting her chin gently to meet her lips with his own. "You can't know how many mornings I've wanted to do that," he whispered as he pulled back slightly. She smiled against his lips as he kissed her softly again, studying her face with his shining emerald eyes. Suddenly, there was a disturbance.

"Marinette!" Tikki hissed, flitting past. "Someone's coming!"

Adrien moved so fast it was as though springs were attached to his feet. By the time the door to the apartment opened to admit Sabine, Adrien was nowhere to be seen, leaving Marinette sitting nonplussed on the sofa.

"Morning, cherie," her mother called cheerily as her daughter attempted to wake herself up. "You haven't seen Jean Luc about anywhere, have you?"

Marinette, whose brain was still catching up, gave her mother a look reminiscent of a deer in the headlights. She hurried to hide it. "N-no Maman," she stammered. Her mother was about the call her bluff when Adrien appeared, now dressed in his pajamas- a black v-neck t-shirt and red-and-black spotted sleep pants- and replacing his glasses. His adorable bedhead was sticking up in every direction. Sabine's jaw dropped when she saw him.

"Morning Sabine," he yawned, smirking at Marinette once he had moved past her mother.

"J-Jean Luc! Your hair!" Sabine finally managed, turning to stare at him intently. He waved a hand unconcernedly.

"Mari couldn't sleep last night, so she asked if she could dye my hair," he lied smoothly. "I figured it would be impolite to deny Milady one of her greatest desires." He shot Marinette what he evidently thought to be a winning grin. She rolled her eyes even as her heart skipped a beat.

"You're so extra, Kitty," she scoffed casually, moving to join the other two in the kitchen and pulling out a container of yogurt and some granola before sitting down at the breakfast bar.

Sabine studied Adrien again. "And your eyes! Jean Luc, you look like a completely different person." Adrien stiffened and exchanged an uneasy look with Marinette. They hadn't come up with a cover story for his eyes.

"Uh…color contacts?" He tried sheepishly. Sabine raised an eyebrow at the two guilty-looking young adults.

"Alright, nice try, you two," she said. "Now, how about you tell me what's really going on?"

Adrien was looking a little terrified now, silently asking Marinette what to do. She shrugged helplessly.

"Oh, come on dears!" she said impatiently. "There are very few things that surprise me anymore. I can _spot_ a secret from a mile away," she said with a knowing glint in her eye. Marinette and Adrien's eyes went wide.

"Y-you…you know?" Marinette whispered. Sabine smiled.

"Of course, cherie. What kind of mother would I be if I didn't? I figured it out during your lycée years. Your father…well, it took him a little longer to put the pieces together." Her eyes landed on Adrien. "And I'm _purr_-fectly certain you have a few little secrets of your own, my dear, if your new look is anything to go by, " she added, watching him shrewdly. His emerald eyes got even wider before he hung his head. The young man opened his mouth, intending to explain, to apologize, but she shook her head, cutting him off.

"You don't have to explain anything, dear. You're part of our family now, no matter what you call yourself."

Adrien's eyes filled, touched at her words and unconditional acceptance of him, before he grabbed Sabine into a tight hug. Marinette was surprised to see his shoulders shaking with quiet sobs as her mother rubbed his back soothingly. Sabine gestured with her eyes, indicating she should approach, so Marinette stood to pull her kitty off of her mother and into her own waiting arms.

"S-sorry, I… I don't know why that affected me like that, I-" he began a moment later, his face still buried in Marinette's shoulder as he scrubbed at his cheeks impatiently, but Marinette cut him off.

"It's alright," she said softly, attempting to calm him by running her fingers through his hair. "Maman's right, you know," she continued, dimly aware of her mother watching them with a small smile. "You have a home with us. For as long as you want it. You're family, Chaton." She could hear his breath catch in his throat as he struggled to keep from breaking down again. A few stray teardrops leaked onto her shirt, but she didn't pay them any mind.

* * *

A short while later, after Sabine had returned to the bakery and Adrien had calmed down again, the two of them were sitting contentedly at the breakfast bar as they quietly ate their yogurt and fruit parfaits. Marinette had flipped on the TV, which was playing the news for the morning. Adrien sat beside her, deep in thought. He knew he would need to explain himself to Tom and Sabine, and soon. He owed them at least that much. Sabine evidently had guessed he was Chat Noir anyway. Perhaps it wouldn't be so bad.

In truth, he was much more worried about someone recognizing him as Adrien right now since his hair and eyes had reverted. All it would take would be one person to put two and two together and he'd never have a bit of privacy ever again. Ok, he knew he was probably being dramatic. But he hated the idea of him being a burden or a danger to his new-found family because of his fame. They didn't deserve that. Suddenly, a news story broke through his thoughts.

"The Mayor gathered citizens of Paris this morning for a special announcement," the newscaster was saying, before the clip changed to one of Nathalie giving a speech.

"I thank you, the people of Paris, for standing behind me in the banishment of Ladybug," Nathalie was saying. "Ladybug is nowhere to be found, and accordingly, Hawkmoth has, seemingly, retreated. I appreciate your solidarity against the threat of the Miraculous. In light of this, I declare tomorrow a holiday- Citizen's Day!"

Adrien snapped off the TV set angrily as the spectators cheered, a growl radiating from his throat. "Those idiots," he muttered. "Don't listen to them, Mari. They're most likely being taken for a ride and they're too stupid to realize it. That woman is definitely up to something."

Marinette sighed, not willing to contradict him. "I better get going," she was saying, standing to leave as she gave him a peck on the lips. "I have class in an hour or so and-"

She stopped as he grabbed her arm tightly, pulling her back around to face him. He scowled deeply. "Mari, I thought we talked about this! You can't go out there on your own right now! It's too dangerous!"

"Adrien, I have to go to class," she protested, pulling out of his grip and crossing her arms over her chest. "If I get too far behind in my work, I won't be able to catch up! I have projects due soon, I can't just drop off the face of the earth!"

He stood abruptly, pacing as he gesticulated wildly, raising his voice slightly in his panic. "And what are you going to do if that stalker comes back? It was lucky they didn't try anything last night, but what if they were just…I don't know…scouting for information so they could get to you later? What if they were really trying to follow you home so they could spy on you? Or catch you later unaware while you were sleeping?"

Marinette glared at him. "I can take care of myself," she said shortly.

He rubbed his face under his glasses with both hands in agitation. "We can't give them more opportunities to hurt you, Mari! I don't think…I don't think I could stand it," he finished softly, pulling her gently into his arms and holding her tight. "Please. Please stay." His eyes pleaded with her as he studied her reaction. She looked up at him doubtfully. He sighed. Why did his Lady have to be so damn stubborn?

"If I go and get your textbooks and design supplies, will you stay?" he asked in exasperation, desperately trying to make her see reason. "You can explain the situation to your professors, see if they'll conference-call your lessons and let you hand in your homework via email. You can come stay upstairs with me until it's safe to go home, and I can help with your projects when I'm not working." He could see he was beginning to get through to her. He continued.

"It won't matter if you get behind on your work if they do something unspeakable to you, Mari," he said earnestly, brushing a strand of hair away from her face. "Please. I need you safe."

She stayed silent for a moment, then slowly nodded. "Alright, Kitten. I'll stay," she relented. She'd barely gotten the words out when he met her lips in a searing kiss, pouring his simultaneous fear and relief into the gesture.

"Thank you," he whispered, resting his forehead against hers. He knew she wasn't happy about it, but she would be safe. Right now, that was all that mattered.


	16. Chapter 16

As Adrien had the day off of work, the duo had time to kill. First, he called and made his excuses to D'Argentcour for the foreseeable future, knowing that showing up looking like Adrien Agreste would probably only cause them trouble. Then, while he made a run to her apartment to pick up her schoolwork and belongings, Marinette meandered down to help her parents in the bakery while she awaited his return. She let her mind wander as she frosted cupcakes, one of her favorite things to do. The little cakes were decorated with tiny flowers and chocolate ladybugs, making them look like they came from a flower garden.

As she finished her work, she held up one of the ladybugs, studying it intently. Ladybugs were supposed to represent good luck. So why didn't she feel like she ever had good luck? Especially now that her Ladybug powers were damaged somehow. She hated how it made her feel when she went out to save Paris, only to have nothing work in her favor; it made her feel broken and helpless. She had been able to stop the akumas, yes, but purely by sheer force of will. Suddenly, a thought flitted across her mind-

"Milady," Adrien's quiet voice purred behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist as he rested his chin on her shoulder. She blinked up at him, then grabbed his hand, pulling him back to the apartment the way he'd come. _Plagg isn't going to like this_, she thought."Mari, what-?" She didn't pay him any attention as she sat him down at one of the bar stools, running to the fridge to pull out some cheese before turning to him.

"Did you have any trouble? On the way there?" She asked. He looked at her in confusion, then at the cheese.

"Nooo…?" He said, raising an eyebrow, before he continued. "There was no sign of anyone with ill intent on my way, and your apartment hadn't been disturbed. Mari, what's going on?" But she only nodded, then looked around, lost in her thoughts.

"Plagg? Can I ask you something?" She called. When he didn't respond, she added in a sing-song voice, "I'll give you cheese…"

She heard a tiny _hmph_ before Plagg answered from the depths of Adrien's hoodie pocket. "It better be Camembert." She let out a tiny giggle.

"It's Camembert. You can have what's there, and double that after if you answer my questions. How does that sound?"

Adrien laughed. "You sound like you're trying to make some kind of shady business deal."

Marinette smiled ruefully as Plagg considered this. "Make it triple and you've got a deal," he squeaked, zipping out of Adrien's pocket to devour the cheese.

Marinette nodded gratefully. "Ok. Plagg, can I ask you…about your kittens whose powers …disappeared, I guess?" Plagg stilled, staring at her with his luminous eyes narrowed.

"No," he answered. If he'd been a real cat, his hair probably would have been standing on end. Marinette looked at him pleadingly.

"Please, Plagg? I understand it's probably painful to remember, but-"

"NO, Spots, and that's final!" Plagg said angrily, abandoning his cheese and returning to Adrien's pocket. Adrien looked to where Plagg had disappeared, looking concerned, before he turned his emerald gaze on Marinette.

"There are others whose powers have been weakened before? Like yours?" he asked, studying her. She nodded as she leaned against the countertop. She felt defeated. If Plagg wouldn't explain, how were they ever supposed to be able to fix her powers?

Tikki appeared then, looking at them with concern, before turning to Adrien. "He never talks about his lost kittens. May I?" she squeaked, gesturing to the place where they knew Plagg to be. He nodded approval, and Tikki disappeared after the tiny cat kwami. Adrien returned his attention to Marinette, though he could feel as well as hear Tikki having an intense whispered conversation with Plagg inside his pocket.

"Did he tell you anything else about the weakened powers?" he asked, taking her hand and pulling her onto the barstool beside him.

She shook her head. "Not much," she admitted, turning her gaze to their intertwined fingers. She didn't really want to see his reaction. "Just that…the weakened powers eventually got the Chosens killed in the end." She didn't have to look at him to hear the sharp intake of breath at her words. He squeezed her hand.

"Mari-" he began, but he cut himself off as Tikki made a reappearance, towing a reluctant Plagg by his paw. Plagg took a breath, turning his glowing green eyes on Marinette.

"Alright," he said finally. "But this is going to cost you, Spots."

"Plagg," Adrien said in warning, but Plagg just shrugged him off, coming to rest in the palm of Marinette's hand. Tikki made herself comfortable on Adrien's shoulder as Plagg began to speak.

"One of the times a chosen of mine lost their powers, it was during the middle ages," he said. "There was a peasant girl who was chosen to wield the Cat Miraculous, along with a young knight, who was given the Ladybug. During the course of their work together, she fell in love with him, though I can't say if the feeling was mutual. The nobleman the knight served felt threatened by my poor kitten, deemed her as a danger to himself and his power. The nobleman ordered the Ladybug knight to terminate my kitten or risk consequences to his family. The knight felt he had no choice but to turn on her. She barely escaped with her life." Plagg's voice was hard and sharp.

"Kitten blamed herself for the Ladybug knight's betrayal, though her reasoning never made any sense to me." Plagg scowled at the thought. "Her powers waned. When the Ladybug knight finally caught up with my kitten, she fought him and…and when she tried to use her Cataclysm to save herself from his falling sword…nothing happened." Marinette felt tears prickling the corners of her eyes as Plagg's voice broke. "Next thing I knew…she was gone."

There was silence for a moment as everyone digested Plagg's words. Adrien was the first to speak.

"You said there were others?" he asked softly, pulling Marinette into his lap, leaning her head back against his chest and stroking her hair. Plagg nodded.

"Only one other," he amended. "A boy, a few years younger than you kids. He lived in Rome during the fall of the Roman empire. His Ladybug was a young lady even younger than he, but nobody but my young kitten knew that she was a woman. Her suit obscured her age and build for her. She was a leading general in Romulus Augustulus's army, a tactical genius, and the kitten her right hand man, her protector and best friend. The Germanic forces invaded, leading to many sore battles. During one skirmish…the young Ladybug was killed." Plagg sighed.

"My kitten had tried to save the girl, but had arrived just seconds too late. He was heartbroken. He continued to fight, but his heart wasn't in it. After the battle, his powers became less effective, but he took care to keep his superiors from noticing. Then the kid was assigned to a covert sabotage mission to take out a Germanic fort. As he attempted to carry out his mission, he was caught and later executed, unable to escape without his Cataclysm."

Marinette sat solemnly, pondering the information she'd received. She was calmed slightly by Adrien's hands in her hair, but these stories were troubling. She didn't like the idea that her powers might continue to disappear until they no longer worked at all. Tikki spoke up near her ear from her place on Adrien's shoulder.

"I see some similarities between all of these circumstances," she said thoughtfully, floating down to the countertop beside Plagg, who had disengaged from the conversation to inhale his stash of cheese. "First, I think it's important to note that each of you had lost your partner in some form or another. The peasant girl lost her Ladybug to betrayal, the Roman boy lost his to death, and you, Marinette, lost your Chat to death, or so you thought at the time.

"The next correlation between Marinette and Plagg's kittens is that- and correct me if I'm wrong, Plagg- but each of you lost the one you loved." Plagg nodded his head.

"That is true," he added around a mouthful of cheese. "Both my kittens were head over heels for their Ladybugs." Tikki saw Marinette and Adrien's confused looks and hurried to explain.

"Ladybug and Chat Noir are soulmates, two halves of a whole. Opposites, if you will. Opposites don't work unless the other is present; there's no light without darkness, no sense of joy if there's no pain, no creation without destruction." Tikki paused, watching their young charges as they considered her words. "It's possible that when Chat Noir lost his Miraculous and Marinette presumed her love was dead, her powers were thrown out of balance. Without your opposite, your powers do not react the way they normally would."

"But…" Marinette interjected, "If that were the case, how come…" she trailed off, though Adrien seemed to follow her train of thought.

"Have you used your powers at all since you found out I was…well, me?" he asked, shifting to look down at her. She thought for a moment, then shook her head.

"No akumas since I found out you were you, remember? Hawkmoth's been awfully quiet lately."

Adrien frowned thoughtfully. "Maybe you'd better test it out. To see if it's come back since now that you know I'm not dead," he suggested. Marinette looked at him doubtfully.

"What would I even use it for though?" she asked. "It's not like I can purify things other than evil Miraculous-related items. Miraculous Ladybug only works for Miraculous magic things, too, I think. And as for the Lucky Charm…"

"You should be able to test it with Lucky Charm, Marinette," Tikki said brightly. "We'll just wait until we need a little luck for something, and then see what happens."

"I sure hope it works," Marinette sighed. "It would be nice to not have to worry about whether my powers are going to disappear anymore."

Adrien squeezed her gently. "Don't worry Milady. We'll sort this out. You'll be back to normal in no time."

Marinette stood up to pace the room. She was mulling over Plagg's stories for yet another time. She still felt there was a connection they were missing, but she wasn't able to put her finger on it. She shrugged helplessly, then turned back to Tikki.

"So…we figure out if the powers all healed themselves with Chat's return…and then what?" she asked. "If it works, will we be able to fix all those people who are stuck with a partially evilized akuma?" Her eyes became large as dinner plates as she turned to Adrien. "And if it doesn't work…what do we do then? Just…wait until my powers disappear completely? Have Tikki find a new Chosen before someone gets hurt for real?"

Adrien watched his partner in concern. She was starting to become hysterical. "Mari, you need to calm down, love," he soothed. "Everything will be alright. Why don't we just take it one thing at a time? We can test out your powers when the situation arises, and then figure out what to do from there. Alright?"

Marinette nodded shakily. Adrien narrowed his eyes; he could see she was still lost in her own head somewhere. "Mari." She didn't meet his eyes. "Mari," he said again, standing and placing his hands on her shoulders, trying to catch her gaze with his own. She finally made eye contact, and he could see her fear and anxiety shining in her sky blue depths. "You know that I will be here for you, right? No matter what." She looked at him doubtfully. "I'm serious. I don't care if you have powers or not. It's _you_ I love, not the superpowers. I'm not going to abandon you."

He pulled her in and held her tightly to his chest. She clung to him, wishing she could believe all the things that he'd said to her. Her life would be so much easier, so much better and happier, even, if she could just believe Adrien implicitly. But her mind refused to accept his words as fact. Why, she wasn't sure. But no matter how much she wanted those things he said to be real to her, she couldn't seem to stop her mind from screaming the what-ifs.

What if he was ashamed of her screw ups? What if something happened to him because her powers were lost? What if she replaced herself as Ladybug and he preferred the new one to her? And…and what if she was just too broken to love? For Adrien to love her; or for her to truly love him in return the way he deserved? She said nothing for a moment, then forcefully shook herself out of her thoughts and turned to Plagg.

"I'm sorry, Plagg," she said softly. "That was probably really hard for you to relive those moments. Thank you for sharing them." She crossed to the fridge and pulled out a whole wheel of Camembert, placing it on the plate on the counter in front of the tiny kwami, who waved her off half-heartedly.

"You needed to know," he said fairly. "And I'm getting paid handsomely for it, so I'm not going to complain too much."

Adrien chuckled at Plagg's antics before taking his Lady's hand.

"Come on. I'll show you what I brought back from your apartment."

* * *

Adrien had done his best to pick up everything Marinette had requested from her place, but there were just some things better done yourself, she decided. The poor man, as talented as he was in the kitchen, had no concept of fabric, she thought wryly as she looked through the box of sewing supplies he'd brought. Instead of the large piece of midnight blue satin she needed, he'd grabbed taffeta in the same shade. Instead of the tulle she'd asked him for, he'd brought back chiffon in that exact color.

She sighed, turning to her partner, who was watching her in confusion.

"Did I do something wrong?" he asked, peeking at her through his sunshine hair. He studied her face from behind his oval-shaped glasses. She put her hands on her hips, with her weight shifted onto one foot and her head cocked to the side, thinking

"No, it's just…I'm going to need to go shopping if I can't go back to my apartment." She saw him open his mouth to protest but she continued hurriedly. "I'm sorry, Kitty, but it's obvious that you don't know the first thing about fabric."

"I brought back all the wrong ones, didn't I?" he said ruefully. He sighed when she nodded. "I don't really want you going out right now," he admitted. "It isn't safe."

"Then come with me," she parried. "You can keep an eye on me and I can get what I need. It's a win-win."

Adrien narrowed his eyes, preparing to argue, but she added, "I can't stay locked up in my parent's house all the time, Chaton. If I stop living my life, whoever is behind all this wins, remember?"

Adrien pouted at having his words thrown back at him. While he did believe that, he was having a hard time with the idea of intentionally putting his Bugaboo in danger. It was then that

Tikki spoke up from her place beside Plagg.

"I might have an idea."

* * *

Chat Noir shifted unhappily from his perch on top of the roof, keeping a careful eye on his Lady as she made her way through the crowded streets as her civilian self. He had to be doubly cautious not to be seen, as it was daylight, but that was not what worried him.

Tikki had suggested he let Marinette go shop for her fabric, and that he follow as Chat Noir from above. The quicker they caught the stalker, the quicker Marinette could go back to her normal life without fear, Tikki reasoned. They could let Marinette use herself as bait, then have Chat take the person or people down; or at least, try to uncover more information.

Adrien thought this was a terrible plan; he hated the idea of using Marinette as bait. But Marinette readily agreed, and even Plagg grudgingly agreed it was a good idea even though it meant he'd have to help Adrien suit up, so Adrien allowed them to give it a try.

Chat did his best to stay out of sight as he followed Marinette from a distance. He noted the streets and sidewalks were scattered with frozen akuma victims, which made it difficult to spot anyone trying to be sneaky in pursuit of his Lady. They were all brightly colored, as usual, but notably not moving a muscle.

He tailed Marinette until she reached her destination, then found an out-of-the-way spot where he could watch for her return without being spotted. His eyes focused on the akuma victim nearest the store, though this quickly turned into staring without really seeing as he turned his focus inward to his thoughts. Those poor people. They were stranded for months, their families devastated, not knowing if they'd ever get their loved ones back. All because Hawkmoth didn't have the common decency to stop his little power trip.

It was then he realized that the person he'd been looking at was…moving? The victim lost their funny-looking costume elements, changing back into a normal-looking man, probably mid-thirties, wearing jeans and a sweatshirt. But even from this distance, Chat Noir could see the purple outline of a mask on the man's face. That wasn't good. Hurriedly pulling out his baton, he dialed Marinette's number. He was relieved when she answered her video call.

"Hello, Chaton," she said brightly. He smiled fondly at the sight of her, despite the situation. She seemed to be trying to balance her phone on top of a pile of something as she walked. Bolts of fabric, no doubt, he thought as he caught sight of the row of colors and textures behind her. "What's up?"

"I, uh…I saw something just now I'd like your opinion on," he said cryptically in case there were others listening on her end, shooting her a meaningful look. He saw her face change and her senses go on high alert.

"Where?" she asked sharply, glancing around.

"Right outside," he replied. "It doesn't seem to be going anywhere at the moment. Do you want me to take it down?"

She thought for a moment, then shook her head. "Just keep an eye on it for now," she answered. "I want to see what it does. It might help us understand better what its objective is. If it becomes a…problem, then you can take it down." He nodded, looking vaguely unhappy. While he knew she would probably say that, he could help but wish she would let him remove the threat. "Maybe I'll just get the very basic things instead of getting all this right now. It might help…" She trailed off, looking like she was talking more to herself than him, before turning back to Chat. "Anything else I should know?"

Chat nodded again, brushing his hair out of his eyes. "It's related to the butterfly somehow, but stay alert. It…looks normal." At her look of confusion, he shook his head. "I'll explain more when we get home. Be careful," he begged.

She smiled softly. "Always am," she said with a wink ending the call.

Chat sighed, turning his full attention to the man he'd seen earlier. Instead of standing frozen in the middle of the sidewalk, the man was leaning casually against the side of the building Marinette had disappeared into. There was not one shred of evidence from just looking at him that the man was akumatized; he looked for all the world like a regular guy just waiting around for a friend. He decided to shoot Marinette a text in warning.

Chat: Man, mid-thirties. Tall, brunette, wearing jeans and a gray sweatshirt. Near the door on your right as you exit.

A minute later, she replied.

Marinette: Thanks kitty. Just finishing up. Be out in a sec.

A couple minutes later, he caught sight of her. She had two bolts of fabric in her arms, plus a sack that was probably full to the brim with ribbons, buttons, and other odds and ends, judging by the state of it. He noticed the akumatized man's eyes flicker to her, then away casually, as though he were not paying her any mind, but Chat could see how his muscles tensed as if for a fight.

Marinette, for her part, pretended not to have noticed the man, though Chat Noir could also detect a slight tensing of her shoulders. She continued on her way, and when she'd made it a few dozen feet, the man casually pushed away from the building, following her from a distance. Chat tailed the both of them, keeping a wary eye out in case something happened.

They'd gone only a couple of blocks when the man in the gray sweatshirt suddenly stopped. His mask appeared again momentarily, then he turned and walked back the way he'd come. _That's odd,_ Chat thought, frowning. _Why would he give up all of a sudden?_ He carefully scanned the area, and another flash of purple caught his attention. Another victim, a woman this time with blond curly hair, started down the sidewalk, continuing gray-sweater-man's path behind Marinette. Chat's eyes widened. This could be a lot more complicated than he'd thought.

* * *

Several minutes later, Marinette sprinted up the stairs into her parents' apartment, slamming the door quickly behind her. Her heart was racing. She knew she'd been followed the entire way home, making her anxious and jittery. No one had tried to grab her or do anything to her outright, but that didn't mean it wasn't still scary as hell to have someone spy on you. Hearing a faint THUMP from upstairs, she tore off towards Adrien's room, closing the trap door behind her before she launched herself into her partner's arms before he'd even had the chance to de-transform.

"It's alright," he said softly, running his claws gently through her hair. They stood together for a moment, then Marinette pulled back to study him.

"What did you learn?" she asked, hoping he had some piece of information they could use.

"Hold on," he said. Chat released his transformation, and Adrien and Plagg appeared in his place. Tikki appeared on Marinette's shoulder as the four of them settled onto the chaise with Marinette and Adrien facing each other. Adrien took a deep breath before recounting his tale. He explained about how he'd seen the partial victim change into themself, Hawkmoth making contact, then about how the victims had basically done some sort of relay in order to keep her in sight. His audience's concern was nearly palpable. Marinette stared at him unhappily.

"That means that I can be followed just about anywhere in Paris," she said, rubbing at her forehead against the headache that was coming on. "And it also means that it's likely that Hawkmoth suspects me of being Ladybug." Adrien took her hand and squeezed it, silent in his reassurance that he was there for her. Tikki chimed in.

"What I don't understand, is why Hawkmoth waited this long to take control of the victims? If he'd wanted to follow you, or have his akumas beat you up, why now? Those partial victims have been frozen in the streets for months, some of them! What makes now different?" Nobody had an answer to that.

"Maybe there's more to this than we thought," Adrien said darkly, taking Marinette's other hand. "It almost seems like Hawkmoth's game has changed. His attempts to take us down used to be overt, flashy, ostentatious even. I'd have bet almost anything on Hawkmoth being a drama-queen-type. But this…this seems…sneaky, more underhanded. Whatever is going on now seems designed to keep Hawkmoth out of the spotlight. It doesn't fit with everything we know about him."

Marinette's eyes widened. "Do you think…do you think someone else could have gotten a hold of the Butterfly?"

Adrien shook his head. "There's almost no way to know. Not unless Hawkmoth comes forward and announces it, like last time. But I think we should be prepared for anything." Silence reigned for a moment, before Marinette threw out another thought.

"How was he able to take control of the victims? When we fought Stoneheart and I forgot to purify the akuma, the statues were able to be controlled later, but not by Hawkmoth. They were Stoneheart's army. They were only able to unfreeze when Stoneheart became akumatized again." Again, nobody had an answer.

"Maybe he's gotten stronger?" Adrien threw out hesitantly. "I don't know. Are there, like, level-ups for Miraculous'?"

"Sort of," Tikki said. "There are some extra powers specific for certain situations, like water powers, or ice, or fire. But the instructions on how to get those have been lost to us for centuries."

"Yeah," Plagg chimed in. "They're in an old spell book that looks just like that one Adrien found in his dad's hidden safe years ago."

The other three stared at him. Adrien was the first to find his voice. "A-a spell book?" But his thought was cut off as there was a squeaky shriek as Tikki launched herself at Plagg, who zipped off as fast as he could to escape the angry Ladybug. Adrien and Marinette looked at each other, then shrugged.

"You…you…stinky…ridiculous…idiotic…_cheese brain!_" Tikki screeched, attempting to pin Plagg down so she could unleash her fury upon him. "You found the grimoire and you didn't think to _say anything!?" _The red kwami was furious. Plagg had the decency to look slightly abashed, still trying to stay far away from the Ladybug's reach.

"I'm sorry, Tikki!" he wailed in panic. "I didn't think it was important!"

"No, because only cheese is important," Tikki huffed sarcastically, crossing her tiny paws. "My Chosen hasn't had her powers working properly in months and you only think of this NOW!?" She turned to Adrien. "What did you do to get…" she trailed off as she realized something. "Oh, yeah. You probably don't remember. Right. Sorry," she apologized as he raised an eyebrow at her. She turned back to Plagg. "You. You'd better remember what you did to get into that safe," she growled threateningly. Plagg gulped. Being on the receiving end of the Ladybug's wrath was a terrifying place to be.

"I…I phased through the lock," he said quickly. "It popped open and Adrien was able to grab the book easily from the safe."

"Do you remember anything else that was in there? And when was this?"

Plagg thought. "Um…about nine years ago now. And no, there wasn't really time for sightseeing," he snarked. "We were about to get caught. We just grabbed the book and hightailed it out of there."

Tikki turned back to the nonplussed young adults, still watching the kwamis' exchange. "We need to get our hands on that book," Tikki said determinedly. "There might be a way to find out how much Hawkmoth knows about his powers, as well as clues on how to restore Marinette's."

Marinette nodded. "Ok. What do we need to do?"


	17. Chapter 17

Adrien and Marinette spent the next few days holed up with their kwamis every minute they could spare, making plans for their heist. They needed to get into the Agreste Mansion without tripping the alarms or being caught on the video cameras. Unfortunately, Adrien still didn't remember details like where security cameras were positioned, and Plagg, with all his supernatural capabilities, like the inability to be video-recorded, couldn't have cared less when Adrien was living at home. They felt like they were, essentially, going in blind. There was also the small detail of 'the person with the book could be Hawkmoth' hanging over their heads, making all of them a little more uneasy about the whole thing.

In response to these unfortunate circumstances, Marinette did her best to make an airtight plan with several back-ups in case things went awry. In fact, they spent so much time planning that it was lucky that she and Adrien were sharing a room now, since Adrien and her mother refused to allow her to go home alone. They often ended up sleeping wherever they dropped, which would have been a sure clue to the rest of the apartment's inhabitants that something was up had they just dozed off on the living room sofa, or on the floor next to the coffee table, or at the breakfast bar repeatedly. As it was, their late night planning resulted in Adrien being late for work several times and both of them having uncomfortable knots in their backs, necks, and shoulders from sleeping on the floor or at the desk.

They decided to test Marinette's Lucky Charm during one of their evening planning sessions, and found, to everyone's disappointment, that the return of her soulmate had not been enough to restore her. Marinette shut herself away from everyone for several hours in response. Even Adrien was unable to convince her to let him come up to the loft for the longest time. Finally, he could take it no longer.

"Mari, I don't care what you say. I'm coming up," he said firmly, pushing the trap door open to find the room empty. Scanning around in concern, he finally caught sight of the trap door to the balcony standing ajar. In a few quick movements, he hopped up onto the balcony himself to find Marinette curled into a ball on one of the lounge chairs. Her face was red and blotchy, and she was shivering as the cold autumn wind whipped past her small form. She didn't acknowledge him as he closed the distance between them. His face softened at the sight of her.

"Come here, Little Bug," Adrien whispered, carefully scooping her into his arms and leaping down into the warmth. He quickly found the thickest blanket available, wrapping his raven-haired partner tightly in its depths, before settling her into bed and pulling another blanket over the both of them as he curled around her. He let his purr rev up in his chest, and she relaxed as she allowed the sound to wash over her. He watched over her as she slipped into slumber, hoping she would let him into her private hell when she woke; maybe he'd even be able to rescue her from it.

As luck would have it (bad luck for Adrien, that was), Marinette again refused to talk out her feelings with him. "Milady, you promised," he reminded her gently, eyes narrowed, but Marinette just shook her head.

"I can't, Chaton. I…just can't. You've already helped a lot," she tried to reassure him, but her smile didn't reach her eyes. His own eyes narrowed, and he nearly jumped to his feet as his hurt and frustration swirled within him. "Where are you going?" she asked.

"Just…need a minute," he said roughly, disappearing down the hatch and closing the door behind him.

He paced the kitchen, feeling a strong desire to break something. He hated that she still didn't trust him enough to let him help her. She said she loved him…didn't love imply trust? Didn't their partnership imply trust? What could he possibly do that would show his Lady it was safe for her to open up to him? That he'd still be there for her regardless of what she'd share with him? That his love for her wasn't based on a fictional character, someone who was too flawless to be true, but the real, raw, genuine being underneath the mask of perfection?

He was so lost in his thoughts that he didn't notice someone approaching him.

"Rough evening?" a voice asked. He jumped, looking up to see Tom sitting down at the breakfast bar, a bowl of cold cereal in his hands. Adrien raised an eyebrow at his surrogate father, gesturing to the bowl with his eyes in question.

"Couldn't sleep, so I came down to get a midnight snack," he said, eyes twinkling in amusement. "This is my usual. Reminds me of when I was young." The older man shifted, gesturing toward a vacant stool beside him. "Now, you want to talk? I'm happy to listen, if you want," he invited.

Adrien plopped himself down in the proffered seat, sighing heavily as he thought how to word his question. He was acutely aware that he was asking his possible-future-father-in-law for advice on his own daughter. He squirmed uncomfortably.

"I just wondered…how do you help someone trust you? Like, enough that they allow you to assist them with their problems and fears, rather than shutting you out?"

Tom stroked his chin thoughtfully. "That…is a really tough question, son," he said finally. "My best answer might be…you just have to wait them out. Be patient until they're ready. I know it sounds difficult, especially if the person you're speaking about is my daughter. My Lucky Bug is awfully stubborn sometimes. Gets it from her mother," he added, causing Adrien's face to break into a wry grin. "But the best I think you can do is just…show her you're there for her, even if she's not willing to open up to you right then. Don't push her. Eventually, I think she will see that, if you were going anywhere, you'd have gone already. She will have seen that your actions back your words, and will, accordingly, feel more confident in the outcome."

Tom munched on a couple spoonfuls of cereal, contemplating Adrien's dilema, while the young man himself sat quietly, soaking in what he'd learned. He was about to say something else, when Tom spoke again.

"You know, it's likely that the fears and problems she doesn't want to talk to you about involve…you, right?" Adrien's mouth dropped open. "I don't mean that she's angry with you or anything," Tom continued hurriedly. "I just think…well, here's an example." He shifted awkwardly.

"When Sabine and I first began the bakery many years ago, she had very little experience with bread and pastries. She grew up in a home where Asian food prevailed, since her parents were full-blooded Chinese— lots of rice as a grain instead." The baker shoved another spoonful of his cereal into his mouth. "Sabine loved to cook, but had no idea what to do with dough or batter. She refused to do the baking, preferring to man the register instead. I offered to help her, to teach her what I knew, but she declined again and again."

Tom, having finished his snack, carried his bowl to the sink before turning back to his young protege leaning his back against the countertop and folding his arms over his chest. "It wasn't until some months later that she finally told me. Sabine was embarrassed by her lack of knowledge and skill with baking. She thought I would think she was stupid when she messed up, or that I'd want to find someone else to run the bakery with because she felt she was useless, or that I'd be better off on my own. She thought she would just get in my way.

"So, son, when I say Marinette's problems and fears probably involve you, that's the kind I'm talking about. Not fears like she's worried you would harm her; I know you would never, and I'm sure she does, too. These fears are the deadliest kind; the ones that whisper in your ears at night that you'll never be good enough- that when the ones you love see how broken, or useless, or inadequate you are…they'll be gone in the blink of an eye. They won't want you anymore. That you'll lose them."

Adrien's eyes filled at the thought. His Lady, his love, feeling like she had to be perfect in order for him to stick around. The terror and pain she must feel at her shortcomings when she probably felt they would eventually break every good thing she possessed.

"I wish she could see what I see," Adrien whispered, half to himself, as a tear trailed down his face. "Anyone would be lucky to know her. Luckier still to be loved by her. She's so brilliant; so selfless and caring. And yet, she's so afraid that it's not enough. That _she's_ not enough." A second tear joined the first.

He hadn't realized Tom had moved from his spot until he was gathered into the biggest bear hug he'd ever received, lifting him off his feet. When Tom set his young friend back on the floor, Adrien was startled to see tears in his eyes, too. Tom patted Adrien's shoulder with a huge hand.

"Thank you, son, for loving my Lucky Bug so well," he said gruffly, wiping his face with his other hand. "It means a lot to me to see you care so much for her. Just show her how much, and be patient. She'll eventually come around. You'll see."

Adrien smiled. "Thanks Tom," he replied. "I truly love her with all my heart. I'll do my best to help her know how amazing she is every day." He stretched, then bid the elder man good night, climbing the stairs to the loft room.

He entered, closing the door softly behind himself when he caught sight of Marinette, sleeping slumped over the desk again. Adrien smiled softly as he approached her, smoothing her hair back from her face and setting her notes aside for later. He settled her into bed once more, curling up around her again and kissing her softly so as not to wake his exhausted partner. Things would be ok, he thought as he closed his eyes, letting sleep take him.

* * *

Finally, after a full week of planning, Marinette and Adrien were both exhausted and wound tighter than a couple of springs. They'd forgone their regular sparring and runs in order to prepare for, "storming the castle," as Adrien had taken to calling it after watching the Princess Bride for the third time, aka - breaking into Adrien's childhood home to steal an ancient spell book. But by the last night of that week, Adrien had finally had enough.

"Mari, come for a run with me," he begged, attempting to break his partner out of the mess in her head. "It'll be good for us. We've spent too much time sitting and stewing over this. It isn't healthy." She cocked her head towards his voice slightly, but otherwise made no sign she'd heard him. "Mari," he tried again in a sing-song voice, "I'm _feline_ a little _fur-_gotten over here, Milady."

"You _paw_ thing," Marinette mumbled sarcastically, keeping her eyes on the paper in front of her.

Adrien stared at her, then growled playfully. "Ok, that's it!" He slung her over his shoulder while calling his transformation and jumped up onto the balcony.

"Adr- Chat, put me down!" she protested. He smirked at her.

"Nope! Not until you suit up and come for a run with me," he challenged, knowing he was getting to her. He could almost feel her rolling her eyes.

"Fine," she sighed, "but if I come, you have to let me finish my planning in peace. No more distractions, Chaton. Deal?"

Chat crossed his fingers behind his back. "Deal," he said confidently.

"Chat," she deadpanned. "Did you forget I could see that?"

He let out an exaggerated groan, swinging her around slightly in her still-upside down position. "Mari, we can't _get_ anymore planned! We've thought everything over a million times, and you even have back-up plans for your back-up plans! The only purpose more planning serves is to freak you out and make your life miserable, so why don't we just…do it tomorrow?" She stilled, freezing in her attempts to poke his sides to get him to release her.

"T-tomorrow?" she squeaked. "But…but…we're not ready! And if we get caught-"

"If we get caught, we'll manage," he said. "We always do, Bugaboo. You know that." Chat Noir gently set his partner down on the balcony so he could look her in the eye. Her face was scrunched up in worry and she was wringing her hands. "Hey," he called, and he gave her a reassuring smile when she met his gaze. "We can't be more ready than we are now. So let's just go tomorrow and get it over with." He took her hand and interlocked their fingers, before leaning toward her, smirking. "And right now, you're going to come for a run with your _meow_-velously _purr-_fect partner. 'K, Bugaboo?"

She shot him a feigned glare. "Your flirting is making me un-_cat_-_fur_-a-_bell_, Chat," she deadpanned, but then cracked up at the gobsmacked look plastered on his face. He _so_ loved this girl. "What's wrong, Kitty? _Cat_ got your tongue?" she giggled.

She was surprised when he suddenly pulled her in and kissed her soundly. She stiffened, then melted into his embrace, tangling her fingers in his hair. He let one of his clawed hands slide down to rest on her hip, pulling her closer. His tongue ghosted over her upper lip, begging entrance, before backing off. She copied his gesture, but before she could retreat, he captured her tongue with his. A moment later, he pulled away, both of them breathing heavily, though Chat Noir was looking rather pleased with himself. Marinette shot him a look.

"Chat," she warned, "Don't even think about i-"

"Safe to say, Milady, Chat's got _your_ tongue," he quipped with a grin, making Marinette groan in exasperation.

"Why do I love you again?" she asked. Chat Noir smirked again, but his eyes were shining with joy beneath his smug expression.

"Because you're _purr_-fect, Milady, and because you secretly find my jokes a-_mew_-sing," he replied, kissing her softly. "Come on, ma cherie. Suit up, and let's go!"

Marinette groaned again, but he could see the corners of her mouth quirking up in a smile.

"Fine! Tikki, spots on!"

* * *

The entire next day was a lesson in patience- Adrien had really wished they could just go first thing in the morning, but Marinette had been adamant that they wait for nightfall in order to avoid being spotted by the random civilian or any of Monsieur Agreste's household staff. Eventually, Adrien relented, knowing Mari was probably right. It wouldn't do to let his impatience get them into a tight spot.

Adrien had done his best to keep his Lady busy in the meantime, but he felt just as jittery as she was. He was acutely aware that he might run into his father for the first time since his memories were lost, though not as himself, most likely. He was prepared for there to be flashbacks, since a lot of his memories of his father had not resurfaced. He guessed, though, from the things he had seen, it was likely a blessing in disguise.

They attempted to help in the bakery, but after it came apparent that the only thing they were likely to accomplish without messing it up was kneading the bread dough, Tom and Sabine sent them back to the apartment for a break. The young duo had tried to help with the pastries, but kept losing track of the steps in their anxiety. They'd also tried to frost cupcakes, but Marinette's hands were shaking so badly that she'd just made a mess of it.

Upon returning to the apartment, they tried watching a movie, playing video games…they were just too restless. Adrien had considered reneging on his previous excuses to the fencing master if it meant they could go work off some of their nervous energy. However, Marinette convinced him that would be a poor decision. Adrien, in turn, refused to let Marinette descend into the depths of her mind in order to solve the remaining mysteries of their plans, knowing it would only make her anxiety worse.

Finally, the kwamis had had it with the unfortunate pair. As the two Chosens debated what to do, Plagg and Tikki made a plan. Tikki quietly sneaked Marinette's phone out of her bag, setting it on shuffle, while Plagg set up the stereo system on the desktop computer. The two young people were shocked when Jagged Stone's loud music reverberated through the room.

"Dance!" Tikki encouraged, grabbing Plagg and spinning him around. The black kwami glared daggers at the tiny Ladybug, but allowed her to maneuver him through the air. Mari and Adrien eyed each other warily. They'd never, in Adrien's memory, danced together, though he was sure he'd seen one akuma or another that insisted on it in the videos. Marinette, on the other hand, was concerned that she would trip over her own feet and make a fool of herself. Tikki, noticing the two remaining stationary in the middle of the room, floated over, dragging Plagg with her.

"Close your eyes and feel the music," she suggested. "Lose yourself in it. Pretend you're the only person in the room. Then, allow yourself to move with the beat."

"Dance is all instinct," Plagg added. "Don't overthink it." The duo stared. Tikki, they could sort of understand. But Plagg? "What?" Plagg asked defensively. "I might be lazy, but I am over five thousand years old. Dance has been around almost since the beginning of human existence. It was only a matter of time until my reputation was corrupted."

Adrien chuckled while Marinette raised an eyebrow, but then they did as the kwamis asked. It wasn't long before Adrien was moving slightly to the music, tapping his foot and shuffling through some fancy footwork. Marinette, predictably, took a bit longer to let loose. Even though she knew her partner couldn't see her, she was sure having her eyes closed would prove more disastrous than anything else.

Just then, the song changed to Happy, by Pharrell Williams, one of Marinette's favorites. It was impossible for her not to move her body to the beat. The bounce in this song always got to her. She could hear Adrien clap along to the rhythm and smiled slightly, letting her the music take over as she twirled and leaped. Adrien, for his part had opened his eyes a crack as he heard her begin to move and had been entranced as she bounced, bopped, and twisted. He watched her happily, seeing some of the tension fade from her. He couldn't help himself; on impulse, he grabbed her around the waist, tossing her high in the air in some sort of barrel roll twist. She squealed in delight as he caught her expertly, her eyes fluttering open when he didn't let go. He pulled her into his arms as they continued to dance.

The song switched again. Adrien raised an eyebrow at her as he listened to it.

…_Helpless to the bass and the fading light_

_Oh we were bound to get together_

_Bound to get together_

_She took my arm_

_I don't know how it happened_

_We took the floor and she said-_

"Interesting selection, Milady," he smirked. She rolled her eyes.

"Just shut up and dance with me, Kitty," she commanded.

"As you wish," he whispered, twirling his partner in his arms, before completely letting loose.

_Don't you dare look back,_

_Just keep your eyes on me,_

_I said you're holding back. _

_She said shut up and dance with me!_

_This woman is my destiny._

_She said ooh ooh,_

_Shut up and dance with me!_

Adrien had never had so much fun. He happily held Marinette close as they moved in sync. Their partnership and physical abilities allowed them to add some sick-looking acrobatics to their dance, and Adrien reveled in the power of his body and the closeness he felt to his partner. The whole experience made him feel alive, and he found himself truly loving it.

When the song changed again, a more sedately-paced song with a flowing piano introduction, he felt Marinette stiffen in his arms. He studied her face and noticed she was looking troubled, attempting to push out of his arms, ostensibly to change the tune to a different one.

"What is it?" he asked in concern, loosening his grip on her. To his surprise, she didn't attempt to go remove herself from him completely. To his further surprise, she answered him.

"This song…" she replied cautiously. "It doesn't really…hold very many good memories for me. It's still pretty raw." He watched her for a moment before his curiosity got the better of him.

"Can I…can I hear it? Please?" he requested. Marinette hesitated, then nodded, burrowing further into his embrace. The two of them fell silent as they took a seat on the chaise, Adrien listening carefully. Tikki and Plagg floated over in a silent show of solidarity, settling on the tops of their Chosen's heads.

_Now the day bleeds into nightfall_

_And you're not here to get me through it all._

_I let my guard down, and then you pulled the rug-_

_I was getting kinda used to being someone you loved._

He noted Marinette's face buried in his chest, so he looked to Tikki for explanation so as not to disturb her.

"Is this…my fault?" he whispered, troubled. Tikki shook her head.

"No, Adrien," she answered firmly. "Yes, this song reminded her of you when she thought you'd died, but what happened to her- and to you- was only Hawkmoth's fault. Nobody else's." She looked to Plagg, eyes narrowed. "Enough of this," she commanded. "Find a better one."

Plagg rolled his eyes at her bossy tone, but did as she asked, flipping through Marinette's phone to find a different song. Upon finding one, his expression changed to a devilish smirk.

_I love it when you call me Senorita…_

Marinette squealed, diving for the phone, Plagg zooming out of her reach, while Tikki turned to Plagg with a raised eyebrow expression.

"Really, Plagg?"

"What?" the cat kwami said innocently. "Just trying to lighten the mood…"

Adrien looked confused. "I don't think I know this one," he said, taking in Marinette's blushing face.

…_You say we're just friends_

_But friends don't know the way you taste, la, la, la_

Adrien's face became the same color as his partner's, but then he grinned as she flailed.

"That's ok, you- you don't need to know this one! It's not really that good, there's lots of better ones!" she rambled in embarrassment.

Adrien smirked. "You sure, Milady?" he teased huskily, staring at her through half-lidded eyes, placing his hands on her hips and leaning further into her personal space. "Because…I kinda like it." Marinette squeaked unintelligibly.

Tikki sighed.

"Plagg, I'll let you keep the phone, but only if you promise to behave," she said, shooting him a warning look. Plagg rolled his eyes, and the music disappeared.

"Fine, fine," he grumbled. "Just give me a minute." He flipped through the songs before he found one in particular.

"You owe me for this one, kid," he said, turning his glowing eyes on Adrien. "Can't stand all this mushy stuff." He shuddered theatrically. "But she needs this," he said with uncharacteristic fondness, then returned to his spot on Adrien's shoulder. Suddenly as the song began, Adrien was pulled into a memory.

* * *

_Twenty-two year old Adrien was laying flopped on his bed, his playlist sounding over his fancy sound system. He'd just returned from a difficult battle at his Lady's side. Things had gone badly; the akuma had nearly killed Chat Noir while Ladybug was distracted by a civilian who had gotten too close to the situation. He'd definitely had his ribs broken, and it had been likely that the shattered bone had punctured his lung, as it had been difficult to breathe for a while. He'd passed out before Ladybug had been able to call her Miraculous Ladybug spell. She'd finally defeated the villain and saved Chat, but it was a close call. As soon as everyone was out of sight, Ladybug had broken down, blaming herself. Chat Noir, feeling helpless, could only hold her and let her cry it out._

_Chat had returned home, exhausted, but relatively ok. He just couldn't get the sight of his Lady's tears out of his head. She'd saved Paris- saved _him_\- and yet was still sure she was a complete and utter failure. It made him want to break down and cry, knowing that she felt that way about herself._

_As Adrien listened to the current song that was playing, he found that the lyrics completely spoke what he was thinking in that moment. Everything he thought and felt for Ladybug- his partner, his best friend, his love. He wished she could hear it- the song his heart sang for her. The song it had been singing for her for many, many years._

* * *

"_Cuz all of me, loves all of you_," he sang along softly, pulling Marinette upright, encircling her waist as he slowly swayed with her. She stared at him, then leaned into his embrace, winding her arms around his neck. "_Love your curves and all your edges,/ all your perfect imperfections/ Give your all to me,/ I'll give my all to you./ You're my end and my beginning/ even when I lose I'm winning/ because I give you all of me/ and you give me all of you_."

Adrien noticed her quiet sobs and pulled her closer. When she'd calmed slightly, he tilted her chin gently so that his emerald eyes met her sky blue ones, still shimmering with tears. "I mean it, Mari," he said earnestly. "Every single word. I meant them before my memories were lost, and I still mean them now. I love all of you, and there is not one single thing you could do to change that."

Her tears made a reappearance before she threw her arms around him, clinging to him. "I love you too, Adrien," she whispered. "Thank you." She kissed him softly, which he tenderly returned.

They stayed locked together until a new song shook them out of their close embrace. This one was more upbeat, and Adrien found he liked the message of this one just as well.

…_And love, if your wings are broken_

_Borrow mine so yours can open too_

_'Cause I'm gonna stand by you_

_Even if we're breaking down, we can find a way to break through_

_Even if we can't find heaven, I'll walk through hell with you_

_Love, you're not alone, 'cause I'm gonna stand by you_

* * *

**A/N- I don't own lyrics to these songs:**

Happy by Pharrell Williams

Shut Up and Dance by Walk the Moon

Someone You Loved by Louis Capaldi

Senorita by Shawn Mendez and Camilla Cabello

All of Me by John Legend

Stand by You by Rachel Platten


	18. Chapter 18

Night fell and once the other inhabitants of the house were asleep, two shadowy figures slipped out to the balcony, hopping across the rooftops. They easily vaulted over the fence surrounding the mansion's courtyard, swinging themselves up onto the ledge outside the window of Adrien's old room. The window was locked, but for a couple of superheroes, that was a minor inconvenience.

"Cataclysm!" Chat Noir whispered, pressing a magic-clad hand to a pane of glass. It dissolved to ash instantly, making space for the duo to slip inside. Once they were safely within the room, Chat hid himself in the closet as he de-transformed, leaving Adrien standing in the closet. He watched for a moment as Ladybug looked around in awe at the size of his previous living space.

"This room is bigger than my whole house," she gasped in amazement. Adrien blushed a little, uncomfortable with his sudden affluence, before handing Plagg a piece of cheese. The kwami swallowed it whole, then phased into Ladybug's hair. They'd decided that Adrien would remain in his room, alert for signs of trouble, while Plagg went with Ladybug to retrieve the grimoire. He'd get them in by phasing through the lock so Ladybug wouldn't have to de-transform to let Tikki could unlock it. Ladybug closed the distance between them, pecking Adrien on the lips.

"Love you," he whispered, gripping her hipbones and pulling her closer to him. "Be careful. I want to be able to take you on a real date when this is over." His tone was teasing, but the dullness in his eyes said he was deadly serious.

She nodded determinedly, kissing him softly again as she blushed at his words. "I will. See you soon." Turning on her heel, she eased the door open, alert for any signs of life, before slipping out into the hallway.

She made sure to keep her footsteps as light and as quiet as possible, Plagg guiding her to the appropriate room. She quickly found what she was looking for- a larger-than-life-size portrait of a woman with long, golden hair. Her yellow dress shimmered in the dim light from the moon outside. They carefully stepped close to the painting, Plagg phasing the lock open.

Even with the little light in the room, Ladybug could clearly see the book as the safe swung ajar. Otherwise, the shelves in the compartment were completely vacant. She quickly snatched the spell book, closing the door behind her and stowing the book in the nondescript backpack they'd brought with them for that express purpose. She'd just finished zipping up the bag when she noticed Plagg zipping away just as a cold voice sounded behind her.

"You," he said, his voice betraying his bitterness. Ladybug turned to face the man- Adrien's father and famous designer, Monsieur Gabriel Agreste. She gasped. Gabriel looked terrible, if she was being really honest. His hair was disheveled, he looked like he hadn't slept in months, and he had a slightly mad glint in his eye. "It's not here," he growled in triumph. "You're too late."

Her eyes narrowed. "What's not here?" she asked, settling into a defensive position. He smirked at her, though the expression only served to make him look more insane.

"The Butterfly, of course," he revealed. Ladybug's mouth dropped open in shock. Maybe Gabriel _had_ been Hawkmoth, after all.

"Why should I believe you?" Ladybug parried. "You could be hiding it somewhere else, waiting for me to turn my back before you strike."

Gabriel chuckled coldly. "If I still had it, do you think we'd be standing here making small talk right now? I would have leveled you where you stand the moment you entered this house." He sniffed unconcernedly. "No matter now. The Butterfly was lost to me many months ago. I also could care less about the book you have in your bag. It's of no further use to me now."

Ladybug stared at the man. "What happened to it?" she asked, hoping he would tell her the truth. "What happened to the Butterfly Miraculous?" But Gabriel merely smirked at her before resuming his normal stoic expression.

"I suggest you remove yourself from the premises, Madame Ladybug. You _are_ trespassing, after all. The police should be arriving any moment now. And with the new laws, you likely won't be able to talk your way out of this one." Gabriel spun around, heading for the front door. As soon as he was out of sight, Ladybug tore up out of the room and up the stairs, nearly colliding with Chat Noir as she entered the room.

"Ladybug, what-?"

"No time, Kitty," she interrupted. "We've got to get out of here. I'll explain when we get home."

The two deftly hopped out the window onto the roof, laying pressed against the steel of the rooftop as several police cars, lights flashing and sirens blaring, pulled up outside the gate.

"Great," Ladybug muttered. "I'd hoped he was only bluffing, but apparently not." Chat shot her a questioning look, but stayed silent. Several of the police made their way inside to search the house while a couple searched the courtyard and a couple stood guard at the gate.

"Come on, now's our chance! There's only a couple of them," Chat reasoned, but Ladybug shook her head, grabbing him by his belt-tail as he began to move away.

"Let's just wait here until they've gone. We're less likely to-" A whirring sound from somewhere far away cut off her train of thought as it approached, rapidly becoming louder and louder.

The two of them looked up to see a helicopter, search light activated, flying toward them. Ladybug's eyes widened.

"On second thought, yeah, let's go," she amended quickly, grabbing Chat by the arm as they scooted down from the tip-top of the roof, checking around on the ground that there were no police looking their way, before they hopped from the roof to the fence, then Ladybug quickly swung them to the next closest rooftop. They found a place to hide just as the helicopter light swiveled in their direction. The two superheroes held their breath until the light moved on.

"Come on," she hissed, pulling Chat with her again as they took off running, ducking behind chimneys and ridges in order the stay out of sight. They didn't stop until they reached the deserted courtyard of a high school halfway across Paris. Upon glancing around and finding themselves alone, the two exhausted heroes retreated into the shadows and collapsed into each other in relief.

"Milady, what happened?" Chat asked, looking worried. Ladybug looked up into his eyes.

"Gabriel caught me," she said, abashed, unzipping the backpack and handing him the grimoire. "I don't know how, because we made sure not to make any noise. I'd bet we triggered some kind of alarm or something that we weren't aware of. Anyway…" she sighed. "He said the Butterfly Miraculous wasn't there, but he wouldn't say what happened to it." Chat Noir's mouth dropped open.

"My- Gabriel is Hawkmoth?" he corrected himself.

"_Was_ Hawkmoth," Ladybug reminded him. "Apparently it was lost to him some months ago. He said he didn't care if I took the book; he didn't even try to take it back from me. He said it wasn't any use to him anymore, anyhow. Then he told me he'd called the police. I don't think he knew you were there, except…"

"Except someone is likely to recognize the traces of my Cataclysm. The cat will be out of the bag then, so to speak," Chat said gloomily, flipping through the pages of the ancient book absentmindedly. He looked heartily ashamed of himself. "How on earth did I not realize that Gabriel was Hawkmoth? All this time…?"

"We had our suspicions many years ago, though you wouldn't remember that," Ladybug told him, rubbing her hand over his upper arm comfortingly. "He must have akumatized himself that one time," she said more to herself than to him, thinking. She startled her partner when she suddenly called out, "Lucky Charm!" A card covered in some kind of strange writing appeared in her hand. She glanced at it, about to launch it into the air, when a hand grabbed her wrist urgently.

"Wait!" Chat cried, pulling out his Chat-phone and snapping a photo. "Ok, now you can throw it."

"Miraculous Ladybug!" she cried, tossing the card. A swirl of red ladybugs zoomed away across Paris before she turned back to Chat Noir. "What happened?" she asked, peering at the photo he'd taken. He opened the book.

"The writing on your lucky charm matches the characters in the book," he explained. "It might be the key to sorting out the code." Ladybug nodded.

"Makes sense," she said.

"Now," he said, cat eyes narrowed, "you want to explain why you needed the Miraculous Ladybug spell when there's no akumas about? You just basically declared yourself guilty of breaking and entering, as well as theft, Bug!"

She studied him. "I didn't want them to find the remnants of your Cataclysm," she said finally, hoping he wasn't going to be angry. "If they don't know to look for you, it'll give us the advantage and have less chance of you getting hurt again." She sighed. "I don't know if it worked, though. They might have been able to connect the dots as to why the spell was needed, and it only works about half the time, anyway. Other times, the Ladybugs disappear and things are still partly broken- or they look fixed, but then a stiff breeze will knock them over."

Chat's face softened. "I don't want you to protect me at risk to yourself, Bugaboo," he reminded her. "That's what I'm here for- to protect you. And I'm fine being painted as a criminal, so long as I have you."

Ladybug said nothing, but searched his face worriedly. "You shouldn't have to be, though," she muttered. "You don't deserve that. Not when it isn't your fault." The _not when it's MY fault,_ stayed unspoken, but Chat heard it, loud and clear.

Chat Noir pulled Ladybug into his side, holding her there, but not answering. He knew at this point it wasn't worth it to argue.

"Whoever has the Butterfly now will likely know we're- I mean, you're- on their tail," Chat Noir remarked a while later. "A police investigation that big will probably mean the entire city will know about it. We're going to have to tread very carefully." Ladybug said nothing.

They waited there for a while longer before Chat jumped up on the rooftop to see if the coast was clear.

"They're gone," he whispered as he dropped down into the courtyard again. "Come on Bug, let's go home."

* * *

Sure enough, the next morning dawned with the news broadcasting the outcome of their heist to the entire city.

"A break-in last night at Agreste Manor was reported late last night," the newscaster was saying as Adrien and Marinette sat down to breakfast, still clad in their pajamas. "Owner of the home, Gabriel Agreste, called Paris police to report a disturbance around midnight. When police arrived on the scene, Agreste alleged that super heroine Ladybug had been intruder, stealing a valuable artifact before fleeing the scene. Monsieur Agreste was unavailable for interview. Police are still investigating the robbery, and more details will be released as they come available. Mayor Nathalie Sancoer made an announcement to the public regarding this incident."

The news flipped to a shot of Nathalie at a podium outside city hall, making her speech. "It has come to my attention that Ladybug has publicly declared herself an enemy of Paris," the mayor said triumphantly. "If Ladybug uses her superpowers to evade the laws, we cannot allow her to roam free. Effective immediately, anyone who has information regarding Ladybug's whereabouts must come forward or risk the consequences. Thank you." Adrien growled deep in his throat as the news story changed to the weather.

"That…that…"

"Hush, Kitty," Marinette chided him gently, putting a comforting hand on his arm, though she looked troubled as well. "We knew this might happen." His face softened, and he put an arm around her.

"I know," he sighed heavily. "I just hate it when they say things like that about you. You've been protecting these people for years. They just don't get it."

She brushed it off. "The important thing now is that you and my parents believe me," Marinette reminded him. "It can all go to hell as long as the people I love know I'm not a criminal." She pulled him in and kissed him gently.

Tom and Sabine appeared moments later, looking stricken. Marinette and Adrien exchanged a confused look. "Marinette," Sabine began, sitting down at the breakfast bar across from the two young heroes, while Tom took the seat next to her. "I know you need to keep your other life a secret, but…I just want to make sure things are ok with you. We just saw the news," she explained. "It may not have been the truth, but you have to admit, it doesn't look good."

Marinette studied her parents. Her mother looked worried, while Tom was angry. She couldn't tell if her father was angry with her, or that someone had dared suggest his little girl had broken the law. She sighed.

"Maman, Papa," she began, "What the news said was partially true. Adrien and I broke into the Agreste Manor last night."

Tom stared at his protege. Marinette, realizing what she'd just done, clapped a hand over her mouth.

"Damn," Adrien muttered. "That wasn't how I wanted to tell them, Mari."

"Sorry, Kitty," Marinette whispered, looking terrified and thoroughly chastised.

"A-adrien? Like, Adrien Agreste?" Tom asked, shocked. Adrien nodded, removing his spectacles.

"Yeah, that's me," he said, resigned.

Tom looked as though he'd been bashed over the head with a baseball bat as another thought hit him. "Y-you're Chat Noir. Aren't you?" It wasn't really a question.

Adrien nodded again. Then he retold his story from the beginning- losing his memories, why he'd hidden his true self, how he'd been given a second chance to be a hero, how he'd figured out Marinette's identity as Ladybug, and how Marinette had helped him figure out his own true identity as Adrien Agreste. He explained what he'd learned about his father and how he'd been afraid Tom and Sabine would kick him out if they knew who he was.

At that point in his narrative, Tom and Sabine had rushed to him, enveloping him in a tight group hug.

"You're still family to us, cheri. No matter what your name is," Sabine reminded him, and he had to blink back tears again.

When everyone had retaken their seats, Sabine refocused on Marinette. "So? You two really broke into the Agreste's mansion last night? Why?"

Marinette sighed. "My…my powers are broken, Maman, remember? Adrien found a spell book in his dad's things several years ago and only just remembered," she said, leaving the kwamis out of her explanation. "We thought maybe the spell book might have instructions on how to fix my powers. Unfortunately, we also found out that Adrien's dad had been Hawkmoth this whole time, but as of a few months ago, he lost his Miraculous." Sabine's eyes widened, and she wrapped Adrien in another hug.

"Mada-Sabine," he protested, "I'm fine. Really." She studied him as though trying to make sure he was being truthful. "I still don't have a lot of memories of my father, so I'm not really torn up about it. Evidently, we didn't have a great relationship anyway. The thing that bothers me the most is that I didn't know he _was_ Hawkmoth and it's been, like, ten years! You'd think I'd have been a little more observant than that…" he added this last, mostly to himself.

Tom cut in, laying a heavy hand on his shoulder. "Don't blame yourself, son. It's not worth it."

Sabine looked back to Marinette. "So. Hawkmoth's miraculous has been lost, or stolen, or something. He doesn't have it anymore." Marinette nodded. "So…Paris is safe then?" Marinette exchanged an uneasy look with Adrien. Her parents weren't going to like this part.

"You remember that night when Adrien had to come get me from the Trocadero?" Marinette said. Tom looked confused.

"Adrien? But I thought you said an old friend…" he trailed off, looking thoughtful. "You went out as…as your other self and saved our Lucky Bug, didn't you, son?" he said as the pieces came together, shooting the boy a grateful look. Adrien nodded.

"I just felt like something was wrong," he explained. "I suited up and something just sort of…led me to her. I turned back into myself and we pretended we were meeting up for a date. We lost whoever was on our tail, then I brought her back here, where she'd be safe."

"But what does that have to do with Hawkmoth, or the new Hawkmoth, or whatever?" Sabine asked, looking confused.

"Adrien and I went out the next day. He tailed me while I went shopping to see if we could get anymore information on the stalker," she admitted, quailing slightly under her parents' unhappy glares, but she continued. "We found that someone was controlling the partial akuma victims, one at a time, to tail me across the city. So evidently, Gabriel not having the Butterfly anymore hasn't fixed everything. And whoever has it now probably suspects me of being Ladybug. That's the only explanation that seems to fit."

"And on top of that, the mayor seems to have it in for Ladybug," Adrien added, trying to keep the snarl in his voice a minimum. From the look the others were giving him, he was sure he hadn't succeeded. Then, it was as though a lightbulb went on. His green eyes widened to the size of dinner plates, before an excited look came over him. "Mari!" he all but shouted. "Gabriel had the Butterfly! And Nathalie worked for my father! And now the mayor has it out for Ladybug!" Marinette's eyes widened too.

"You…you don't think…"

"I'd bet Plagg's Camembert on it," he said seriously. Marinette heard Plagg's indignant growl that Adrien would dare bet on his Camembert for anything. "Nathalie's the only one who could have done it." Tom and Sabine were looking at the two of them in confusion.

"Uh…what just happened?" Tom asked.

Marinette turned back to them. "We think we know what happened to the Butterfly Miraculous," she replied. "Or, at least, partially. Not really sure how Nathalie would know anything about me though. I only met her a couple times as myself, and only once as Ladybug." She returned her attention to her parents. "Sorry Papa, Maman, but the less you know about all this, the better."

Tom nodded, but Sabine rolled her eyes. "Cherie, we know basically everything you know now. I don't think you need to keep secrets from us anymore."

Next to them, Adrien piped in, his brows furrowed in concentration. "Mari," he said slowly, "If Nathalie took the Butterfly from Gabriel…it is actually very possible Lila has it now." He stared at her unhappily. "Think about it- someone who worked closely with Nathalie _and_ my father- she modeled with me for years, apparently- someone who knows you, someone who's been here recently with threats, someone who hates Ladybug…it has to be her. It all fits."

Tom and Sabine looked at him sharply. "What's this about threats, son?" Tom asked. Marinette covered her face with her hands. Adrien sighed. Evidently that had been the wrong thing to let slip. But, too late now. So, Adrien filled the parents in on Lila's visit to the bakery and what she had done previously to Marinette, as herself and as Ladybug, when they were teenagers.

"So, the short story- don't give Lila your apple tartlet recipe if she ever asks for it," Adrien finished in an attempt to lighten the mood. Unfortunately, the joke fell flat; the parents were too worried to pay it much mind.

"If this Lila has made threats, we need to report it to the police," Tom said finally. Marinette shook her head hurriedly.

"No, Papa," she said, "We can't. Lila twists everything around to make it look like it's the other person's fault. No one will believe us, and it will tip her off that we know something is up. Besides, now that she has the Butterfly, the police won't be able to take her down anyway. Ladybug and Chat Noir are the only ones who can do it, and we will also have to find a way to make sure she confesses publicly. Otherwise, she'll just go free once all is said and done."

Tom shot her a conflicted look, but nodded. Sabine sighed.

"Thank you, you two, for telling us all this," she said. "While it is worrying, I'm glad that we know. We'll be more able to protect ourselves if we're in the loop." She stood up from her chair, pulling Tom by one of his huge hands. "We'll be getting back to work now. You kids stay out of trouble," she said, giving them a warning look.

Marinette waved at them awkwardly. "We will, Maman," she assured her, watching as her parents disappeared down the stairs.

* * *

Nathalie was in another meeting with the building committee. It was taking three times as long as she would have liked, but the decision had to be made by the end of the day. She stifled a yawn. If she was being honest, she'd stopped listening about half an hour ago.

Her phone suddenly buzzed in her pocket. Pulling it out, she saw she had a text.

P: Urgent news. Can you meet now?

Nathalie stiffened with excitement. Perhaps Papillon had found something useful.

Nathalie: My office in 5

She stood suddenly. The committee members eyed her in confusion. "My apologies," Nathalie said. "I have some urgent business to attend to. You may finish up without me." Without another word, she swept from the room, the door banging shut behind her.

Papillon was already there when she arrived, sitting unconcernedly on top of her desk like she belonged there. Nathalie narrowed her eyes.

"Please, have a seat," she commanded, indicating the chair for visitors. Papillon shrugged, hopping lightly for the floor and perching in the offered seat. "You said you had news?" Papillon smirked.

"I'll say," she began. "I had one of my akumas spy on the Dupain-Chengs, and it's finally paid off." Papillon leaned forward slightly, like a school girl with the juiciest gossip. "Marinette has been confirmed as Ladybug."

Nathalie rolled her eyes. "Is that all? I'd have expected-"

"Wait, there's more," Papillon smirked at her employer. "Chat Noir is alive…and he's none other than Adrien Agreste, who has been living as a bakery worker for the past several months."

Nathalie's jaw dropped, stoicism be damned.

"A-adrien's alive?" she whispered. She had to admit, she'd had a soft spot for the poor boy. Did Gabriel know? If he did, he hadn't said anything. But then again, she and Gabriel weren't really on speaking terms at the moment… "Adrien's Chat Noir?"

Papillon was full-on grinning now. "Wait, there's more."

"More? How can there possibly be-"

"They were definitely the ones that broke into the Agreste's house, and they stole an old spell book," she said. Nathalie scoffed again.

"I already have all the pages in a digital file. The spell book is old news," she said airily. Papillon fidgeted as she opened her mouth one more time, all trace of a smile gone.

"…And Gabriel told them enough that they suspect us," she finished. She shot a glance at Nathalie, fighting the urge to laugh at the woman's expression. The elder woman quickly shook herself out of her daze.

"Then, we need to move quickly," she said. "Here's what we're going to do…"


	19. Chapter 19

Marinette was restless. She knew going out was dangerous right now, both as herself and as Ladybug, but at the moment she couldn't bring herself to care. They had decided to wait until nightfall to try to find Lila, but that left the duo with a lot of time to kill. And just like the previous day, they were too keyed up to do anything relaxing.

In the end, they'd decided to slip out to the rooftops, but Adrien had only agreed once Ladybug had shrugged on a plain-looking black hoodie, hood pulled up, and leggings over her super suit. Then they carefully moved away, making sure to keep a low profile so as not to be noticed. When they felt they were far enough away, the two took shelter behind a chimney, looking out over the city. Chat spread his legs, situating his partner between them and wrapping her in his arms. They sat there for quite some time in comfortable silence, lost in their own thoughts and the feeling of being together. Finally, Ladybug spoke.

"Chat?"

"Hmm?"

"What…what are we, exactly?" She stared up into his eyes, and he looked at her in confusion.

"What do you mean, Bugaboo?" he asked. She shifted uncomfortably.

"Like…what are we to each other? We love each other, we're partners, we're best friends, but…" she trailed off, looking embarrassed. Chat smiled fondly at her.

"Milady, it doesn't matter what we call ourselves. I love you, and I'm with you til the end. That's what's important." She met his eyes, brow furrowed. "If it means that much to you though…" he shifted around so that he was on one knee in front of her, holding out a hand to her, a crooked smile on his face. "Ladybug, Mari, love of my life, will you do me the honor of becoming my girlfriend?" Ladybug's eyes filled with tears, but stayed silent as he continued. "And then, will you become my wife and my lover forever and ever, when the time is right? I don't want to spend a day of my life without you."

Ladybug leaped at him, tackling him in a huge hug and knocking him onto his back. "Yes, Kitty!" she squeaked. He smirked at her, his emerald cat eyes shining with joy.

"A little eager, are we, Milady?" he teased, wrapping her tightly in his arms. She rolled her eyes.

"Just shut up and kiss me already," she commanded.

"As you wish," he whispered against her lips, pulling her down on top of him.

* * *

Suddenly, a disturbance cut through their happiness. The sound of sirens echoed through the streets, pulling the two heroes back to real life.

"What do you suppose-?"

BOOM!

An explosion shook the building they were perched on, and in a split second, the couple were on their feet, scanning the landscape for signs of trouble. Chat's eyes widened when he caught sight of something.

"Over there!" he cried leaping away over the rooftops back the way they had come. Unfortunately, even with the extra speed that came with their powers, they had gone quite a long ways before settling on a spot. It took them much longer than they would have liked to reach their destination, and what they saw when they arrived made their stomachs sink into their metaphorical shoes.

The bakery was on fire, flames licking the walls and spreading quickly. The front of the store was gone, leaving a gaping black hole. Ladybug was frozen in shock, dropping to her knees.

"No," she whispered desperately. Chat's eyes were narrowed, but tears were rapidly filling them. "They'll be alright," he said, trying to convince himself as he turned back to his stunned partner. He laid a clawed hand on her shoulder. "Stay here, love," he said firmly. "I will get them." He turned and sped off, twirling his baton as he went.

"Chat! Wait!" Ladybug cried after him, but too late. He was already out of sight. Tears fell thick and fast down her face as fear gripped her. Her whole family was in danger, and she was sitting here, completely useless. Her face hardened in determination. She would go and help. She _had_ to go and help. She got unsteadily to her feet, quickly stripping off her civilian outer clothes as she went. Then she swung down onto the balcony of her room.

The entire thing was engulfed in flames. She looked around, noticing the grimoire looked like it was untouched by the fire. Maybe the book itself was magic, Ladybug thought vaguely, tucking it under her arm as she ran. She leaped down through the trap door, finding the stairs and the floor on the other side to be very unstable. She glanced around, and, finding no one, proceeded toward the bakery.

The fire was burning hotter now, and she wasn't sure how much longer she could stay without being overcome by the heat. Even with the suit, it was becoming extremely dangerous. "Lucky Charm!" she called, and waited but…nothing happened. No red-and-black object fell out of the sky this time. She gasped. There was no time for that now. Leaping back up to her room, she swung out, intending to loop around to the front and go in that way…just as the building collapsed.

"NO!" She cried, falling to the ground and sprinting toward the fallen edifice, tears streaming down her face. Suddenly, a strong arm grabbed her around the middle. She dropped the book at her feet as she struggled. "No! Let me go!" she shouted, but the arm tightened around her, followed by a second.

"Lucky Bug, you have to stop!" her father's voice sounded from behind her. Ladybug dimly noticed he was trembling. "Chat went in to get your mother. We have to trust him!" Ladybug sagged in his arms, giving herself over to grief and guilt and pain. When he was sufficiently sure she wouldn't take off running into the blaze again, he let her go and she dropped to her knees again.

Chat was gone. Again. There's almost no way he would have survived having a building collapse on top of him. And her Maman…if Chat hadn't survived, there was no way her tiny Maman could have.

Suddenly, there was a THUD! from behind them. Ladybug twisted to see Chat standing there, looking exhausted and covered in soot and ash, but otherwise unharmed. In his arms was a small form. The person's face and arms were badly burned. Chat set the person gently on the sidewalk, his expression pained. Ladybug opened her mouth, but no sound came out.

"Is- is that-?" her father asked. Ladybug could hear the hope in his voice. Chat nodded, tears making their way down his cheeks.

"I'm- I'm sorry, Tom," he said quietly. "I already called the ambulance." His face contorted. "I should have been quicker! I should have-" Tom quickly wrapped the shaking young man in his arms.

"It's alright, son," he said, tears spilling down his face. "It's not your fault. It's not either of your fault," he said, holding out a hand to Ladybug, who was still sitting, frozen on the sidewalk. She heard him, but at the same time couldn't comprehend his words.

She was the one who froze. She was the one who went upstairs instead of to the front where she was needed. She was the one who screwed up when it mattered most, and her mother had paid the price. She looked over at the prone form next to her and quickly turned away at the sight. She didn't like seeing her mother like that. Then, without warning, she took off running, swinging away.

"Ladybug!" Chat called behind her, but she couldn't go back. She couldn't stop. She had to get away.

* * *

Scarlet Papillon grinned. "Our plan is working, Catalyst. She's gone off on her own."

Catalyst smiled evilly. "Excellent. Now, you know what to do…"

* * *

Chat was terrified. In a matter of minutes, his entire world was turned upside down, and his Lady had taken off into the city without him. He leaped off into the rooftops to see if he could catch sight of her, but he knew it was likely pointless. If his Lady didn't want to be found, he probably wouldn't be able to find her.

Suddenly, a terrible feeling washed through him. Ladybug was in trouble. He ran, faster than he'd ever run in his life. He vaulted over chimneys and helicoptered over gaps, hoping he would get there in time. His eyes darted here and there, needing to catch a glimpse of her. Finally, he saw her.

His love was curled into herself, a ball of red spotted with black on the ground in the same courtyard they'd hidden themselves in just the other night. Fluttering near her was- a tiny red butterfly.

"Look out!" he cried, desperately trying to make his legs move quick enough, but it was too late. He could see the glowing scarlet mask on her face even from the distance at which he was standing. "No," he whispered. "No! Mari!" The scarlet magic washed over her, but to his surprise, she looked the same as she always did. There was no outward sign that she'd been akumatized. None. He watched her for a moment, hoping she'd been able to dispel the akuma's evil, but then the glowing mask returned. Evidently, the new Hawkmoth had a mission for her.

"Oh no," he breathed, trying to think, but his exhausted mind refused to cooperate. Before he could decide what he should do, Ladybug was up off the ground in one fluid movement, using her yo-yo to catapult herself away. He tried to follow, but he soon lost track of her and slumped to the ground in defeat. He was alone, and his Lady was taken. His new home was destroyed. The closest thing he had to a mother was in the hospital- he hadn't been sure if she'd make it when he pulled her from the remains of the bakery, and he'd left before the ambulance arrived.

"Plagg, claws in," he whispered. He knew he was vulnerable without his powers, but he just needed someone. The tiny black cat appeared out of nowhere, watching the young man in concern as he trembled. Finally, the kwami spoke.

"Kid, it's going to be ok," he said, trying to be optimistic for his young charge. It went against everything in his nature to do so, but if it got the kid going again, he'd do it. "Ladybug needs you, Adrien."

"She left me, Plagg! She shut me out again! And then…and then this happens!" he sobbed, pulling at his golden hair in despair. "She…she promised!" He folded his arms on top of his knees, hiding his face, and cried until he couldn't cry anymore. She was out there, somewhere, and the new Hawkmoth had control of her. He had no idea what the person's plan was, but he was sure it would be terrible for everyone involved. Probably most of all, for his Lady.

Suddenly, Plagg's voice sounded in his ear. "Come on, kid," he said softly. "Let's find you somewhere to crash for a while. I doubt Ladybug will go far. You need to sleep if you're going to be any use to anyone, and I need sustenance." Adrien flipped the kwami a small piece of cheese, then transformed back. Plagg somehow guided him to an out-of-the-way corner of the city (he wasn't sure how, and frankly, he didn't really care) and into an apartment which had the windows unlocked. He de-transformed.

"Where are we?" Adrien asked the tiny kwami. Plagg wrung his paws.

"This was your bachelor pad before you went missing," he explained. "Evidently, your father let your contract stand in case you were still out there somewhere," he muttered, mostly to himself. "More decent than I was hoping for from the guy, really."

Adrien looked around. There was a small kitchen with a few dishes, a living room with only a comfortable-looking arm chair for furniture, a tiny bathroom, and a bedroom with full-size bed and night stand. A few articles of clothing hung neatly in the closet, and a cheap laptop computer rested on the kitchen countertop. There were no decorations in the living room, but the bedroom held two photos in frames on his bedside table- one of him and a woman with the same golden hair as his own which he knew to be his mother, and the other a close-up photo of Ladybug, probably several years ago now, if he had to guess. He sat down on the bed to study it.

This second photo had probably been taken without her permission, he thought in consternation. The girl wasn't looking at the camera, but out over Paris, the clear blue sky reflected in her eyes as she smiled softly. Knowing Mari, he'd probably been in a significant amount of trouble after taking it had she known about it, but, even as his past self had probably thought at the time, he couldn't really bring himself to care. She just looked so beautiful.

Suddenly, everything came back to him, and he buried his face in his hands. Plagg perched in the crook of his shoulder, purring softly to calm him.

"Sleep now, kid," he ordered. "Then we'll go get your Lady back."

* * *

Several hours later, Adrien woke with a start. Something was very wrong, but he couldn't quite remember what it was. Plagg floated over to him.

"Good, you're up," he said. "You're going to want to take a look at this…"

Adrien stretched, following his tiny friend to the living room and peering out of a curtained window into the fading light. His jaw dropped.

It looked like all of Paris had been hit with a Cataclysm. Buildings were leveled. Fires raged here and there. People were running through the streets. Everything was in chaos.

"What…what happened?" he gasped. Plagg looked concerned, showing him the now-open laptop on the counter.

"Apparently, Ladybug has gone completely gone off the deep end, or at least, that's the intel the mayor's office is putting out there," Plagg glared at the news story, which was still playing softly in the background. Adrien growled. "She's been freeing known criminals, which have been terrorizing the city almost non-stop for hours. My educated guess is that they've all been akumatized, just like Ladybug, but their appearance has remained the same." Adrien considered his words.

"That seems likely," he said finally. "But…how can the new Hawkmoth control that many akumas at once? Aren't they supposed to only be able to do one at a time?"

Plagg's expression turned worried. "The past Hawkmoth was able to do it a couple of times," he revealed. "You wouldn't remember, of course, and we have no idea how he did it, but somehow he got an extra power boost those couple times, controlling unlimited numbers of akumas. We'd better be ready for anything."

Adrien began to pace the room, twisting his ring around his ringer nervously. "We have to get to Ladybug first," he decided. "I don't dare try to confront the new Hawkmoth with extra powers without her." A ghost of a smile appeared on his face. "She'd be furious if I tried, anyway," he said ruefully.

Plagg nodded. "Ok." The fuzzy black fairy floated over and perched on Adrien's nose. "You better stock up on Camembert, kid," he reminded. "You never know when we'll need it."

Adrien tried to shoot him a look, but the effect was completely ruined by the fact that Plagg's proximity to his face was making him go cross-eyed. "This is no time to talk about cheese, Plagg! We've got to get out there! Claws out!"

* * *

Chat Noir launched himself into the chaos, heart beating wildly in his chest. He hurtled towards the Eiffel Tower, one of the few structures in the entire city that wasn't at least partially destroyed. He'd be able to see the city better from the top of it, he reasoned, and perhaps catch sight of his Lady. So it was a complete surprise to him when he reached the upper deck to find Ladybug sitting crosslegged on the very top of the observation room, keeping watch on the destruction with a satisfied smirk on her face.

Chat normally would throw puns at the villain, but in this very moment, all he saw was his love. The only indication that she was not herself were her red eyes shining in the firelight. "Oh, Milady, what have they done to you?" he whispered brokenly. Evidently, she'd heard him, because in the blink of an eye, she was on her feet, her body settling into a defensive stance, her yo-yo spinning faster than he'd ever seen it.

"Who's there?" she called, her voice cold and hard as her eyes darted around. He waited, hoping she'd relax, thinking she'd been imagining things. After a moment, she straightened, her yo-yo slowing, but was still looking around warily. At that moment, he leapt for her, not able to bring himself to draw his weapon on his Lady. She ducked, but he'd aimed low, sending the two of them summersaulting head over heels across the rooftop. When they stopped rolling, she had him pinned underneath her. Her red eyes were shining, but they looked lifeless.

"I was beginning to think you'd stood me up," she teased, though he could still hear the hardness in her tone. He swallowed hard.

"Never, Milady," he promised, his voice horse, a tear trickling down his face as he remembered the way this conversation had gone the last time. At a time when his Lady was still herself. "Please, Ladybug, this isn't you! Just give me the akuma and we can fix this!"

Ladybug drew back from him. "No," she said, eyes narrowed. "Don't you see? Everything _is_ fixed, Chat! My powers are back now! Scarlet Papillon promised! And all I have to do is have the bad guys wreck the city for a little while! Then I can fix everything and everything will go back to normal!"

Chat gaped at her. "Mari, do you hear yourself?" he asked, gently pushing her back off of him. He was surprised that she'd allowed him up, if he was being honest. "That doesn't even make sense! Papillon is a liar! You know it, and I know it! Don't fall for her BS, Milady! You didn't before, and you sure as hell better not now!" Ladybug scowled at him.

"Scarlet Papillon restored me," she said. "She gave me my powers back! I owe her, Chat! I can at least do what she asks of me for a little while."

She turned her back on him, looking out over the city again in the gathering darkness. He tentatively reached out and put a hand on her shoulder. "Please, Milady," he pleaded. "Please make it right again. Give me the akuma, and we can fix it." It was then that he noticed the glowing red around her eyes. All at once, she grabbed his hand, twisting him around so his front was pinned against the railing, his arms behind him.

"Ouch, what-?"

"I need your ring for Scarlet Papillon, Kitty," she said, her crimson eyes shining in determination. "She promises she'll give it back. She just needs it for an experiment."

Chat rolled his eyes. "Sure she does," he muttered. "She'll probably give it back the day cats fall from the sky." He turned his head toward her as much as he could, attempting to catch her eye. "Milady, this is ridiculous! You know as well as I do what might happen if she gets her hands on my ring! Please, don't do it!" He squirmed against her grip, finally breaking free. Her smaller hands made it more difficult to hang onto both his wrists at the same time while trying to wrest his ring from his finger. He found he was thankful for small favors.

He hoisted himself onto the railing into a handstand, quickly flipping away just as she tried to grab him again. She launched herself at him headfirst, but he dodged her attack, grabbing at her from behind as she flew past him. His claws tangled slightly in her hair, tearing one of her hair ties, letting some of her raven locks spill over her shoulder. She attacked him even more fiercely, pulling out her yo-yo. In response, he grabbed his baton, using it to fend off her weapon as an idea formed in his mind.

Wheeling around once more, he did a flip over her head, slashing at her remaining hair tie. It snapped, and a scarlet butterfly fluttered out. He sighed in relief, dropping to his knees. Ladybug was staring around in astonishment her eyes back to blue again.

"Kitty what-?"

"Just grab the akuma, Milady," he gasped as he closed his eyes and flopped onto his back, exhausted again now that the threat had passed. "We'll talk in a moment."

* * *

Ladybug threw her yo-yo, capturing the akuma. She called her purification spell, but when the yo-yo opened, the akuma was still a lightning-streaked scarlet. She caught it again, dropping to her knees next to her partner.

"Adrien," she whispered, and he startled slightly at his civilian name while in his Chat form, turning on his side to look at her. "My…my powers. They're…they're gone."

His eyes widened. "Like…completely gone?" he asked worriedly.

She nodded. "I tried to use Lucky Charm in the fire, but nothing happened. And now I can't purify the akuma," she answered, tugging at her loose hair in agitation.

Then her eyes widened as she took in the devastation that was Paris. "Did…did I do that?" she breathed, hoping against hope it wasn't true. Chat shifted uncomfortably, giving her all the answer she needed. She curled up, pressing her forehead to the ground. "This can't be happening," she moaned in anguish. "First I lose my powers, then I singlehandedly demolish Paris, and now I can't even fix it! I'm such a terrible superhero…"

"No, Milady-" Chat protested, tapping her shoulder until she looked up at him. "You've always been a great superhero. The fact that you're still trying to help people without your powers is a testament to that. Otherwise, Plagg and Tikki would never have trusted us with these." He held up his hand with the ring on it. Then suddenly, his eyes sparked with recognition. Chat looked at her, then at his ring.

"Here, give me the earrings," he said, taking off his ring and pressing it into her hand.

"Chat, what are you doing?" she asked as Adrien suddenly sat before her, holding his hand out for her Miraculous.

"Well," he began sheepishly, "If you can't fix things, maybe…maybe I can. We've done it before, right?" Ladybug nodded.

"Yes," she said slowly, "but-"

"We need to get rid of that akuma and fix Paris before anything else happens," he said, his green eyes shining with determination. "Come on, Little Bug, we still have a chance."

She sighed in exhaustion. "Alright," she said, handing over the earrings. Adrien quickly pinned them to his shirt, muttering, "Tikki, spots on!"

Marinette watched as her partner was quickly covered in red stretchy fabric and a hard breastplate which accentuated his muscular chest. A shield appeared strapped his back like a ladybug's exoskeletal shell. The red and black mask materialized over his eyes. Her mouth quirked upward in a tiny smile.

"You look fantastic," she breathed before she could stop herself, blushing as red as his uniform. He silently shot her a crooked smile before purifying the akuma.

"Yeah, you _butter-fly_ away," he quipped to the butterfly, letting it go, now a snow white. Now done with his task, he turned back to his partner, who was still sitting, stunned on the ground, her mouth slightly open. He blushed a little at her obvious awe of him.

"You…you gonna put that on?" he asked, indicating the ring still clutched in her hand.

"Oh…oh yeah," she said, shaking her head to clear her mind of his rippling muscles under tight spandex. She slipped the ring on.

"Plagg, claws out," she intoned as the leather suit with green accents appeared, along with knee-high boots and the silver baton. Her long black hair swished behind her like a tail. The bell that normally accompanied Chat's transformation was missing; probably a difference in personality, she thought.

Now it was Chat's- or rather, Mister Bug's- turn to stare at the sight of his Lady Noire, a blush creeping over his face beneath his mask. She smirked at him half-heartedly. "What's the matter cheri, Chat got your tongue?" she teased. She expected him to roll his eyes in mockery of her normal flippant response, but he just nodded seriously. She could see his Adam's apple bobbing in his throat as he swallowed hard. She laughed softly at his stunned silence. "I think you still have a job to do, Buga-boy," she said, pointing out over the city.

She still felt terrible about everything she'd done as an akuma, but the knowledge that Adrien would help fix things coupled with the lighter character of Plagg in the Miraculous helped Marinette relax a little. Maybe things wouldn't be so bad…

She should have known thinking that would call down lightning from the heavens upon her, so to speak. No sooner had Mister Bug finished with the Miraculous Ladybug spell when a noise startled them. Looking down, they were alarmed to see hundreds of akumas racing up the Tower towards them from every side. They were surrounded. Her eyes narrowed, her protective instinct kicking in.

"Stay behind me, cheri," she said to her partner, pulling out the baton and taking a fighting stance. "We'll need you in one piece at the end of all this." She heard the spinning sound of the yo-yo from behind her, and his back pressed against hers.

"Not a chance, Kitten," he replied playfully. "We're in this together, remember? You and me against the world, Milady." She shot him a smile before they turned to face the onslaught.

* * *

"So. Chat Noir saved Ladybug, but now Chat Noir has the Ladybug powers and vise versa?" Catalyst asked her apprentice. Scarlet Papillon nodded thoughtfully. Catalyst laughed.

"They're not used to each other's powers. This will be easier than I thought."


	20. Chapter 20

Meanwhile, the battle was still raging on top of the Eiffel Tower. The Miraculous duo was holding their own, but the opponents just kept coming and they were both starting to tire.

"Get down!" Mister Bug called out. Lady Noire instantly hit the deck as a roped akuma whistled over her head. Her partner swung it around and around, taking out the couple layers of bad guys close to them.

"We've got to get out of here!" she called to him from the ground. "There's too many, and we won't be able to capture all the akumas one at time if they're constantly overrunning us like this!"

"What do you suggest?" he asked tersely, his attention focused on the felon in front of him.

"Um…" she looked around, when she finally lit upon an idea. She slid up to her crimson-clad partner, throwing an arm around his waist and pulling him flush to her body. "Hold on tight!" she cried, extending the baton as high as it would go at the last minute, causing the villains to collide. Unfortunately, the collision knocked over the baton, sending the two heroes flying clear across the city. They tucked themselves into forward rolls, skidding to a halt in the middle of a deserted street. The two sprinted into an alleyway, dropping their transformations gratefully.

"That was a close one," Adrien said, breathing heavily as Marinette pulled out snacks for Tikki and Plagg. She nodded, looking downcast. Adrien pulled her gently into his arms, guiding her to the ground, holding her as she rubbed her forehead. Her stress was getting to her again. They stayed locked together silently for a while, just basking in the feeling of each other.

"I'm sorry about your mother," Adrien said after a time, holding her tightly to his chest as he heard her sniffle briefly. Tears came to his own eyes as he remembered how he'd found Sabine, trapped beneath some fallen boards, completely unconscious. He didn't know if she'd been breathing or not when he'd rescued her, but her skin on her face and arms was badly burned. He took a deep breath, trying to push the feelings and tears away. He had no reason to get so upset; it wasn't like it was _his_ mother, after all.

_But it was,_ a small voice in his head reminded him. His own mother was a very, very distant memory now with the effects of his memory loss. Sabine was the closest person he'd had to a mother that he could remember. She was suffering, and he wasn't sure if she was going to make it, or if the Miraculous Ladybug spell would be able fix everything. They didn't even know what started the fire.

Yes, he was sad for Marinette, but he was also devastated for himself. He gave up on pretending and let his tears flow unchecked. The two of them clung to each other, sobbing, until neither of them could cry one more drop. This had been happening way too much lately, Adrien thought wryly.

Marinette sighed tiredly as they sat there in the silence. "You know, I probably should have just found someone else to give my Miraculous to once my powers started to weaken," she said finally. Adrien tried to contradict her, but she continued. It was as though a dam had burst and all the words, thoughts and feelings from the past several months all spilled out at once. "I- I haven't done well as Ladybug since that battle all those months ago. Don't look at me like that, you know it's true. " She accused, effectively shutting him up as he glared at her self-abasement. "I didn't give it up entirely because I thought it would be an insult to your memory when I thought you were…well, you know… but…but…I did terrible without you. You're the real hero," she said sadly. "Without you, things all fell to pieces.

"If I wasn't such a terrible superhero, none of this would have happened. You'd still have your memories, Lila wouldn't have a Miraculous, and Maman…" she swallowed, switching tracks suddenly. "I mean, superheroes are supposed to love it, aren't they? Saving people, being in the thick of the action, giving up everything else to keep people safe… But I…I'm just doing it because people are counting on me. If I had a choice, I'd have left the danger and the super suits to someone else from the beginning." She glanced up at him, but he was only watching her intently, so she returned her gaze to her lap.

_She must have been bottling all this up for a long time, _Adrien thought to himself. _Best for her to just let it out. _

"I'm not brave, Adrien. Not outside the mask. Or strong, or powerful, or graceful, or anything else that everyone thinks Ladybug is. I'm not the person everyone thinks I am." Her hands came up to clutch at her temples again. "I let Chloe and Lila push me around all through school, for heaven's sake! I don't have a clue what I'm doing most of the time. I constantly trip over thin air. And now everything is so messed up…my powers…and you don't remember anything from before…and…" she sighed. "And I'm worried you'll see all of that and think, 'Who is that fake? Her powers are lost, she's not a true hero! She can't even take care of herself, much less save anyone! She's too broken! She's not worth my love, or my attention!' I'm afraid that you'll decide one day I'm not worth the trouble and just…be gone again. Only by your own choosing this time." She finished quietly, hiding her face in her hands, resting it atop her knees.

"If I were really a good superhero, I would have been focused that day!" She cried suddenly. "You wouldn't have needed to put yourself in the way to save me! You almost died because of _me!_ It's my fault!" Somehow, her body found the liquid for more tears; she'd been sure her eyes had completely dried up.

Adrien pulled his hurting partner into his lap, leaning over her as though he were shielding her with his body from all her dark thoughts. His chin rested on her shoulder, his unexpected tears joining hers, mingling on both of their cheeks as pain swirled in his chest at her admission. It was as though he felt her feelings as acutely as she did; he didn't want her to have to feel this way, like she had to take blame on herself for circumstances beyond her control.

Suddenly, a familiar power coursed through them, making them gasp. Without a word being spoken, the Miraculous' were suddenly in their original places and Tikki swirled into the earrings. Bubbles of pink magic engulfed her small form, lifting her to a standing position, and where Marinette had been moments before, Ladybug appeared in her place. Except, she looked different.

Her mask was the same as usual, but her hair was pulled up into a messy bun tied with a red ribbon instead of her twin pigtails. Her suit had changed, with black armor over the shoulders and black gauntlets on her hands, wrists, and forearms. The remainder was still the same stretchy red and black-spotted material, except for a pair of tall black knee-high boots, similar to the ones she had worn as Lady Noire. A circle of black was placed in the very center of her chest, bearing the symbol of the Miraculous. A shield was slung over her back, like Adrien had had as Mister Bug, and her yo-yo was wrapped like a belt around her waist.

Adrien's jaw dropped. He jumped to his feet, staring at Ladybug, impatiently scrubbing at his face. His Princess looked like a queen! She stood regally, confidently, though her face betrayed her confusion.

"Wh-what just happened?" she asked, looking down at herself. Adrien smiled a little.

"If this were a video game, I'd say you had leveled up," he said. "You…you look amazing, Mari! This is you- the _real _you. The one you've been hiding away." He pulled her in and crashed his lips against hers. She stiffened for a moment, pulling back away from him, her eyes still doubtful.

"But…but why? Why am I suddenly like…this? I didn't transform! And why is this Ladybug the real me? How do you know Ladybug isn't just…I don't know, an act I put on so people will like me? Or just…filling the role of a superhero? How do you know the plain, everyday girl isn't the real me, the one that does dumb things all the time and feels insecure about everything?

Adrien shook his head in slight amusement. "Mari, don't you understand? They're _both_ you!" He wrapped her up in his arms. "The confident, regal, amazing, indestructible Ladybug is what you look like when you live up to your full potential. But we're human. We aren't able to live up to that full potential all the time. It just isn't possible. The Marinette that has fears and insecurities, who loves and hurts and tries and fails, isn't a worse person than the Ladybug that does all those same things, just in a different way. It's just another… facet of a gorgeous diamond in the rough." He gave her a tender look. "Each piece is needed to make up you. And I love _all_ the pieces, not just some of them."

Now it was _her_ turn to grab her wonderful boyfriend and kiss _him_ senseless. He responded enthusiastically, leaning one arm against the wall behind her as he pressed her body between himself and the wall, cupping her face with his other hand. They lost themselves in each other, thoughts of the fight and Scarlet Papillon and everything else far, far away at the moment.

They broke apart, gasping for air as Ladybug had a thought hit her. "That day! When your hair changed back! Does- does that mean-?"

"The magic changed me back to my true self," he breathed. "The self _I_ was hiding." Marinette nodded.

"Looks like your theory was right." She paused, brow furrowed. "But...why? What caused the magic to change us?"

Adrien looked thoughtful. "Maybe...didn't Tikki say we're meant to be soulmates, that we balance each other?"

Ladybug nodded, wondering where he could possibly be going with this.

"What if...what if, once we found each other again, we were still out of balance... because we were hiding parts of ourselves from each other?" He looked excited now. "Remember? I showed you my true feelings for you that night! And- and just now, you finally let me in to your own private hell that you've been living in for months. We both got changed back once we determined not to hide anymore!" Ladybug's eyes went wide with astonishment.

A sudden rumble under their feet startled them. They stared around, looking for the source.

"Plagg, claws out!" Adrien muttered, at once becoming Chat Noir, though it seemed that his Lady's new transformation and his subsequent part in it had leveled him up, as well. His suit was now no longer fully black, but speckled with lime green detailing, just as Lady Noire's was. It was still leather, and his belt-tail still trailed behind him, but the suit design was less Mandarin, more modern. He had leather pants, and a long, steam-punk-style motorcycle jacket that gave the illusion of it being a shirt and a trench coat, with lime green laces at the shoulders of the sleeves, buckles on either side of the collar and buttons decorating the cuffs. His hair was stylishly messy, and his mask and fuzzy cat ears the same as before. The look was completed by a pair of black boots studded with silver rivets. Ladybug looked at him in awe, but he just smirked, poking her forehead like she used to do to him.

"Maybe let's leave the gawking til later, Milady," he teased. "Right now, we have some things to take care of." She shook herself roughly out of her daze.

"Look at you, being all responsible," she quipped back. "Tikki must have had more of an effect on you than I thought." He rolled his eyes.

"In case you haven't noticed, I'm digging the bad-boy look these days, Bugaboo," he said, waving a hand airily. He turned toward the street, ready for action, when Ladybug grabbed his arm.

"Wait! My powers! Do you think-" She was cut off by a loud CRASH! from the street. Chat Noir shook his head.

"No time, cherie. We'll figure it out as we go. Come on!" He grabbed her tightly around the waist, extending his baton to deposit them securely on the rooftop as they began to run. They hadn't gone but a few steps when they were waylaid by a couple akumas attacking from up high. The duo quickly disabled them, capturing their akumas in Ladybug's yo-yo.

"I really hope this works," she murmured, breathing a sigh of relief when she saw that the butterflies she released were, thankfully, a pure white.

"Congratulations, Milady," Chat purred, kissing her hand. "Your powers are back." She rolled her eyes fondly at him, but she couldn't disguise the joyous sparkle in her blue eyes as she reveled in the fact.

They heard another sound coming towards them and ducked behind a chimney just as another few akumas trudged passed.

"What do we do now?" Chat asked, looking to his Lady, like always, for a game plan. She cupped her chin thoughtfully.

"Do you…sorry, maybe you don't." She cut herself off, but that only made him look more confused. "I was going to ask if you remembered our battle with Hawkmoth on Hero's Day. That would have been several years ago now." She fiddled with a loose strand of hair that had escaped it's bun as he shook his head. "Hawkmoth became Scarlet Moth and was able to akumatize basically all of Paris. He got extra powers somehow, but…I think we had to break something of his to change him back," she said, trying to remember. "We had to take _him_ down before things went back to normal. The akumas, while difficult and annoying, were just a distraction."

Chat Noir studied her. "So you're saying that we need to find this Scarlet Papillon and change her back to just Papillon," he said slowly. "Ignore everything else and go for the source?"

Ladybug nodded. "Exactly, Chaton," she answered. Her brow furrowed. "I don't have any idea where Papillon could be, though. You?" He shrugged.

"Maybe the Mayor's office? If Nathalie is working with her, it's possible they decided to hide out in plain sight. No one would expect them to try something that bold in such a public, secure place like City Hall." Chat rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. "Or, maybe my father would know. Lila modeled for him for years, and Nathalie was his assistant." He shifted uneasily. "I'd rather not have to ask my father for anything if I don't have to, though. While I may not remember much about him, I'd rather not go there. For sanity's sake, if nothing else."

Ladybug nodded in understanding. "Let's go check out City Hall first. If we come up empty, we can see about your father. Ok?"

Chat Noir nodded. "Next stop: City Hall," he said, a steely glint in his eye. Hopefully, they were about to finish this once and for all.

* * *

As it turned out, the heroes first guess was the right one. _Talk about lucky,_ Ladybug thought wryly as they peeked into the Mayor's office. They also had been able to easily evade the guard akumas outside. Scarlet Papillon evidently didn't expect Ladybug and Chat to be able to intrude so far into their secret sanctuary. _Rookie mistake_, Ladybug scoffed to herself as they spied on their foes.

There were two women, or what they suspected were women. One was decked out in red from head to toe. Her scarlet suit and scarf tied in a bow stood out against the neutral tones of the room, clashing horribly with her auburn hair, and she held a cane in her hand. The other person was wearing a sleek black helmet and her suit was a matching black with red piping.

Ladybug exchanged a look with Chat before the two of them slid quietly into the room. Even with the Miraculous aiding her senses, Lila didn't notice them. They set themselves up on either side of the villainous duo before Chat smirked confidently.

"You know, if you're going to cause a _cat_-astrophe, you should at least be considerate enough not to _bug_ us with it," he said, twirling his baton expertly in his hand. "I'm _feline_ generous today though, so you'd _butter_-_fly_ away while you still can," he grinned dangerously.

Scarlet Papillon and the other villain whipped around, glaring first at the two heroes, then at each other, before rushing them, weapons drawn. Ladybug and Chat Noir waited, then sprang into action as the other two reached them. Ladybug engaged with the unknown villain, who she supposed was probably Nathalie, while Chat took Scarlet Papillon, his baton matching her cane more closely in terms of style of weapon.

Scarlet Papillon, while a formidable foe, didn't have the experience or agility that Chat had been blessed with. He moved about her like a cyclone, whirling and twisting, flipping and tumbling. He could see his opponent was tiring slightly, her blows becoming wild and unfocused as slowly ran out of energy. She began to resort to underhanded verbal attacks, trying to catch her opponent off guard.

"Your father would be ashamed of you, _Adrien,"_ she snarled. Chat, who was actually mildly surprised that she knew who he was, struggled not to let it show on his face.

"I'm sure he would be," Chat agreed. "Fact of the matter is, I don't really care what he thinks anymore. Losing most of one's memories will do that, you know." As she gasped in shock at his words, he dodged her next blow. "What I don't get, is why you hate Ladybug so much." She swung at him again, but he lazily parried the blow. "Yeah, she humiliated you, but she tried to make it right. Why can't you just let it go?"

Lila snarled, lunging for him again. She missed as he danced out of reach. "Because Ladybug took everything from me!" she shouted, attempting to batter Chat Noir as if with a club or a baseball bat. He rolled his eyes, blocking her blows with a spinning staff.

"You're being a little overly dramatic, don't you think? Besides, Ladybug, while the fiercest babe I've ever met, doesn't try to hurt people intentionally."

Lila smirked, leaping back to face him from across the room. "You said you lost your memories? Well, let me enlighten you. 'Ladybug' turned all my friends against me in lycée. She got me in trouble in school. I became an akuma because of her! Three or four different times! And somehow, Adrien Agreste found out and threatened to have me fired from modeling for being akumatized! Oh right…that was you!"

Chat stared at her, but before he could say anything a series of flashbacks zoomed through his mind.

* * *

_Seventeen year old Chat was out on patrol, leaping through the rooftops. Ladybug had said she was taking the day off, so when he caught sight of a tiny red speck sitting on a chimney in the distance, his heart leapt with joy. Finishing his patrol, he hurried over to her, to find that she was crying._

"_Milady? What is it?" he asked, sitting down beside her, careful not to touch in case she wasn't in that sort of mood. To his surprise, she launched herself into his arms._

"_Chat," she cried, unable to continue. He held her, murmuring softly in her ear and rocking her slowly until she was calm enough to speak._

"_There's- there's this girl at my school," she began. "She…she got everyone to hate me. She told a bunch of lies and set me up so it looks like I'm a liar and thief…and I got expelled today." She started to sob again. "M-my parents aren't even completely sure I'm not lying! My best friend can't find any evidence to support my side of the story! A lot of the incidents are just my word against hers, and for some reason, everyone believes her over me! Every. Single. Damn. Time! And…and Hawkmoth…he- he akumatized me. And everyone else in school. We were released- I don't know why- but it was terrible!"_

_Chat was silent for a moment. This sounded awfully familiar. And if there was one thing he knew about Ladybug, it was that she was honest, almost to a fault…_

"_The girl…she wouldn't happen to be named Lila, would she?" Ladybug stared up at him in shock._

"_How did you know?"_

_He waved a hand. "Just met her a few times," he said vaguely. "She's a real piece of work." His hold tightened on Ladybug. "I'm so sorry, Bug. I want to help." She smiled up at him sadly._

"_Thanks Kitty, but I doubt anyone could help now."_

* * *

_The scene changed. Adrien and Lila were waiting side by side next to the Seine. The photo shoot was scheduled to start soon. Adrien looked at the girl by his side, eyes narrowed._

"_Lila, can I talk to you about something?" _

_She turned to him, putting a perfectly-manicured hand on his arm, trailing her fingers up to his shoulder. He repressed a shudder. _

"_Of course, Adrien! We're…_friends, _after all," she said sweetly. The tone she used made Adrien feel sick. His eyes hardened._

"_I know about that girl you got expelled from school," he said. She looked taken aback, but he continued. "And I know that you lied and manipulated to get her in trouble for things she didn't do. Don't ask how I know, because I can't tell you. Now, I don't know how you made everyone believe you, and frankly, I don't want to know." He got right in her face, his eyes sparking dangerously. His Chat side was coming out strong. "What I do know," he said softly, "is that if you want to keep your position as a model here, you will tell one more lie. This time, to fix the wrongs you've done." And before Lila could defend herself, he got up from his chair and stalked off without another word._

* * *

_Chat leaped happily up to his and Ladybug's spot on the Eiffel Tower. His partner was already there, looking peaceful as she looked out over the city._

"_Good evening, Milady," he said formally. "How are things?"_

_She smiled up at him as he took a seat beside her. "Much better, thanks, Chat," she replied. He casually raised an eyebrow._

"_Oh?" Ladybug smiled._

"_I'm back in school!" she said happily. "I don't know why Lila told more lies to put me back in class, but I'm grateful either way," she added, looking thoughtful and maybe a little sad. "The whole thing kinda blew up in her face, though. It seems that my coming back was enough proof she lied that people have started to avoid her. Like…almost everyone. There's a lot of rumors going around now about the things she's said in the past…" Ladybug sighed. "She seems really angry at me still. I think she blames me for how people reacted to her once they knew what she'd done. But, she did fix things."_

_Chat smiled. "I'm glad everything worked out." They sat in silence for a moment, then he pulled a paper sack from his belt, offering it to Ladybug. "Cookie?"_

* * *

"Chat, look out!"

He came back to himself just in time to see Scarlet Papillon leaping towards him. He knew he wouldn't be able to raise his weapon in time, so he flipped smoothly out of the way.

"So you see, Chat Noir," Scarlet Papillon panted, lunging for him again. "Ladybug destroyed my life! It seems only fitting that I destroy hers." Chat's eyes narrowed.

"This isn't lycée anymore, Lila. It seems you still have some _homework_ to do! Nobody believes your lies anymore! They all know better."

Then he feinted a blow to her left side, twisting at the last moment toward the right to sweep her feet out from under her. He brandished his baton like a fencing saber, holding the tip to her throat dramatically.

"Cataclysm," he incanted calmly, pressing a glowing finger to Scarlet Papillon's scarf she wore around her neck. The scarf disintegrated, releasing Papillon from Catalyst's power. The absence of the scarf revealed a purple brooch pinned to Papillon's plum-colored jacket. Chat quickly retrieved the Miraculous, leaving an angry Lila lying prone on the floor of the the Mayor's office.

"NO!" she screamed, her olive green eyes flashing dangerously. She didn't dare move an inch though, because Chat still had her pinned with his staff.

"Looks like your black magic days are over, Lila," he smirked. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have to make a few calls."

* * *

Meanwhile, Ladybug had been holding her own against Catalyst. She was quick, but seemed a little rusty on her fighting. Ladybug was able to land a few blows before Catalyst seemed to try another strategy.

"Tell me, Ladybug, how does it feel to lose your powers?" she said deviously, holding out a hand. Her bright red fingertips were glowing. Ladybug watched her warily. She was sure things would really get ugly if she were to be touched. She quickly pulled out her yo-yo, leaping as far away as she dared.

"Lucky Charm," she said, hoping it would work. Thankfully, a red and black object dropped into her hand- a thumb drive. "Huh?" she said stupidly, trying to figure out what she was supposed to do. She didn't see anything yet. She hoped her lucky vision had been restored, too and the timing was just a little off.

She began spinning the yo-yo in a circular motion to deflect the villain's advances. She soon found out that Catalyst's abilities to add or take away powers didn't just apply to people. As the older woman snagged her yo-yo with one of her glowing fingers, it lost the ability to function normally.

She could no longer swing it to use as a shield. That wasn't good. She flipped out of the way, landing on the other side of the mayor's desk, scattering papers far and wide. She grabbed at her shield, but it seemed it was only for the Ladybug effect, thoroughly stuck to her uniform.

"You think you can beat me?" Catalyst sneered. "I've been planning this for months, Ladybug!"

Ladybug pretended to consider this, stalling for time as she hoped her lucky vision would kick in. "Months, huh? So, what? You built up an akuma army, insulted me publicly to bust my confidence, and waited until my powers were shot in the meantime? All so you could…obtain ultimate power, or something?"

Catalyst smirked. "Smart girl. Hawkmoth never said you had such a quick wit. You'd be better off joining us than going to prison."

Ladybug rolled her eyes. "Sorry to disappoint, but it will be you that ends up in prison."

She was elated when her lucky vision showed itself for the first time in months, highlighting the curtains, the thumb drive, a specific drawer in Nathalie's desk, a tablet, Chat's green eyes, and the door.

She quickly leaped over, pulling two long curtains to the ground. "Chat, catch!" she cried, tossing one curtain to him. He deftly plucked it out of the air, tying up the woman who had, only a few minutes previously, been Papillon. Ladybug, using her super agility, wrapped up Catalyst in the other curtain, tying it neatly in a pretty bow. Once Catalyst was incapacitated, She tossed the thumb drive into the air calling, "Miraculous Ladybug!"

"Police are on their way, Milady," she heard Chat say. She nodded but didn't answer.

The red-clad superhero stalked confidently to the desk, finding the signature Nathalie tablet, which she dropped to the floor and stomped on, releasing the akuma. Catalyst became Nathalie again, and Ladybug happily purified the akuma. She sprinted back to the desk, wrenching open the drawer and snatching a thumb drive almost identical to the one that had been her lucky charm, only in solid black.

She caught Chat's eyes with her own, and she tossed him the thumb drive, which he connected to the security camera, downloading the evidence. Then he stepped out of sight of the security cameras to transform back into himself. It seemed that Chat and she had simultaneously made the same plan, because he didn't even question her.

Chat's transformation ended not a moment too soon. Adrien appeared just as the police and a news crew burst into the room.

"L-Ladybug!" the police chief said. "What are you doing here? You're under-"

"Hold on, officer," Adrien stepped in front of Ladybug protectively. "Ladybug just saved us from a supervillain! We can't arrest her!"

Lila interjected, looking livid. "Yes you can! Arrest her! She's been plotting to overthrow the Mayor!" The police then noticed Lila and Nathalie, still tied up in the curtains. "She tried to force us to hand power over to her, and when we refused, she destroyed the city with that army of felons! She deserves to be behind bars!" Ladybug stayed silent, though confidently stood her ground, while Adrien spoke up again.

"Actually, sir, the Mayor and Miss Rossi here have been playing Hawkmoth for the past few months," he said confidently, holding up the thumb drive. "Watch this and see for yourself! The time stamp proves I didn't have time to alter it in any way."

The police chief took the tiny computer chip from him, handing it off to the news crew, who plugged it into one of their computers. The footage was several hours long, but it clearly showed the process of Lila transforming into Papillon, giving Nathalie power to become Catalyst, and then Nathalie, in turn, giving more power to Lila as Scarlet Papillon. It also showed Ladybug being summoned, a glowing mask on her face as Lila forced Ladybug to do her bidding. Then they skipped forward to the battle as Chat and Ladybug brought Papillon and Catalyst to their knees, so to speak.

"So you see, officer," Ladybug chimed in, "Anything I did today that hurt anyone was purely due to the akumas. And now you know who is behind them."

"And…Chat Noir is alive?" the police chief asked, looking dazed. Adrien and Ladybug nodded in unison.

"I saw him myself, sir," Adrien said, his lips turning up in a secret smirk. "He said he had to _scat,_ he was about to change back."

"NOOO!" Lila screeched. "You idiots! Don't you see?! _He's_ Chat Noir!" Adrien rolled his eyes, grinning a Cheshire Cat grin.

"Now, now, Miss Rossi, you can't just accuse people of things without proof," he smiled wickedly. "Someone might think you were a compulsive liar, after all."

It took all of Ladybug's self control to keep from bursting out laughing at the expression on Lila's face. She looked like someone had slapped her. "I think you can take them away now, Chief Raincomprix," Ladybug suggested. The police chief did as he was told, and the news crews followed the villains and their escorts out of the office.

Adrien and Ladybug looked to each other, eyes sparkling with mirth.

"Bien joue!" they chorused softly, happily exchanging a fist bump, before following the procession from the room.


	21. Chapter 21

Epilogue

A light snow was falling as two young people made their way through Venice to their hotel. The young man ran a hand through his sunshine hair, holding tightly to his small suitcase with the other. He looked a little dazed, and definitely as though he were coming down from an adrenaline high.

"I can't believe I didn't know you were scared of flying, Kitty!" his raven-haired companion was saying in consternation, looking at him in concern. "Why didn't you tell me- _before_ we got on the plane?"

"Kitty" shot her a disgruntled look. "Probably the same reason you didn't tell me you were afraid of spiders, Mari," he teased, though he still looked a bit put out. "Or, possibly, because I didn't remember."

"Oh. Right," she said, fingering her black hair awkwardly. "Sorry Adrien." They walked in silence for a few minutes, taking in the scenery. "It was really nice of your dad to pay for our trip," she said, changing the subject a moment later.

Adrien grinned, remembering what had led up to said event. On the day Nathalie had been arrested for aiding and abetting Papillon, Adrien had shown up at his childhood home, being tailed nonstop by paparazzi all the way up to the gate. A few had even tried to follow him inside, but as Ladybug had come along as his personal security detail, no one actually managed it.

Adrien met with Gabriel, who tried to use the paparazzi's presence to get Adrien to come back to the manor, but Adrien wouldn't budge. He told Gabriel that he knew he had been Hawkmoth, and that under no circumstances was he going to go back to living under Gabriel's thumb. Then Adrien issued an ultimatum- If Gabriel left him alone to live his own life, gave him his rightful earnings from his teenage employment, and turned himself over to the police for his actions as Hawkmoth, Adrien would be sure to continue to visit him regularly for the rest of the elder gentleman's remaining life and beg for leniency and anonymity for his father in court. If not, he would walk away and never look back. It was obvious which option Gabriel had chosen; the thought of losing his only remaining family was too difficult to fathom.

In the end, Gabriel and Nathalie had both been sentenced to twelve years in prison- Gabriel for being Hawkmoth, and Nathalie for willingly aiding two supervillains and taking bribes from Gabriel in order to win her office. Needless to say, Ladybug and Chat Noir had been relieved to see them go.

"Technically, I paid for it using my earnings from my teenage modeling days," Adrien said, pulling himself back to the present. "It is rather nice to discover you have money you didn't know you had from a job you don't remember working, don't you think, Bugaboo?"

Mari smirked at him. "I wouldn't know, Kitty," she said coyly, taking his free hand and intertwining their fingers as they walked. "I tend to remember most of my life experiences, thanks very much."

"Except for the Oblivio incident," Adrien muttered. Mari stared at him, her eyes flashing dangerously as she put on a sultry expression.

"What was that, Chaton? I couldn't hear you," she said sweetly.

"Nothing, cherie," he replied smoothly. "Just saying how glad I am that you remembered I wanted to go to Italy. This is going to be fantastic!"

Mari smirked. "Nice save, Adrien." She checked her phone. "The hotel should be right…over…there!" she said, pointing to a nice-looking building with a view out towards the sea. They crossed to the door, walking up to the front desk.

"_Buona giornata! Come posso aiutarti?"_ The man behind the counter asked.

Mari looked to Adrien uncertainly. "Uh…" But Adrien stepped forward without hesitation and greeted the man and explained that they had a reservation under the name Agreste, all in perfect Italian. Mari's eyes widened, but she stayed silent until they'd finished their exchange.

"I didn't know you spoke Italian," she said, impressed. Adrien shrugged.

"Yet another thing I seem to have forgotten," he said indifferently. "Not a big deal, Mari. I expect I'll probably be having these kind of moments for the rest of my life. May as well get used to it."

She pulled him in for a kiss. "May as well," she echoed with a fake sigh. "Guess I'm stuck with you." Adrien grinned.

"The cat that gets fed keeps coming back, after all. You should know that by now."

* * *

They settled into their luxurious-looking suite before going out to see the rest of the city, leaving their luggage behind. They chose to do a private gondola ride first down the Grand Canal. As they set off, Adrien nervously twisted his ring around his finger. He had a plan, but he couldn't pretend that he wasn't beyond terrified. Mari eyed him.

"You aren't afraid of water, too? Like a real cat?" she asked him curiously. Adrien tried to smile, but it came out as more of a grimace. His anxiety really was getting the better of him.

"N-no, Mari, water is fine," he stuttered out, stuffing his hands into his coat pockets and forcing himself to breathe. Everything would be fine, he told himself. Marinette studied him in confusion, then changed the subject, hoping to draw him out a little.

"Maman and Papa seemed really happy when I visited them yesterday. Everything is almost ready for the re-opening," she said excitedly.

The fire in the bakery, while it had been set by an akuma, had left some emotional scarring for everyone involved. Sabine had been fully healed and the bakery fully repaired by the Miraculous Ladybug spell, but Mari and Adrien had suggested that they take a well-earned vacation and reopen after the holidays. While the holiday rush was important for the financial well-being of the bakery, Tom and Sabine agreed it would be a good idea to give themselves time to readjust. They took advantage of the time off to experiment with new recipes and do some redecorating, and now Tom could hardly wait to get back to baking full-time again.

Adrien smiled at her enthusiasm, despite his nervousness. He didn't think he would ever tire of seeing her sparkle like that. "I'm glad," he said with a sigh. "Your parents are seriously the nicest people in the entire world. They deserve to have things work out for them."

He couldn't help but remember the previous evening when he'd sneaked out of Mari's apartment to visit her folks unannounced, telling Mari he had to run to the store for a couple last-minute items for their trip. She'd just shrugged and waved him goodbye as he left, not suspecting a thing, before he'd transformed and run as fast as his legs could carry him over the rooftops to his future-in-laws home. They'd been overjoyed when he'd told them the news. They'd given him bear hugs and kisses (in Sabine's case), plus the good old-fashioned ribbing that came with the territory.

"Yeah," Marinette agreed. "Although, they're sure going to miss you. Papa even asked me if I could talk you out of that, by the way, but I told him, 'not a chance'. I'd never ask you to give up fencing."

Adrien smiled at Marinette's protectiveness. Once Adrien had called the police to arrest Lila and Nathalie (a fact which he explained away by saying he had ducked into the City Hall to hide from the chaos and happened to see Chat hightailing it before he changed back, but not before Chat requested he stick around to assist Ladybug), nearly all of Paris was quickly informed of his return via the main news channels.

Shortly after, Adrien had gone to Master D'Argentcour and explained himself. The master fencer was overjoyed that his star pupil had returned, understanding his previous need for secrecy, and immediately asked him if he would become a part-time fencing instructor and Francois Dupont. Adrien readily accepted, deciding he would work part time in the bakery from then on. Tom and Sabine were, of course, highly congratulatory of their surrogate son, telling him he could set his schedule as worked best for him. Adrien appreciated that, and loved being able to pursue his interests equally.

"Tom's just a little jealous," Adrien quipped. "After all, it would be shame to keep this much raw awesomeness contained." He pulled a flexing pose while Mari rolled her eyes, giggling.

"You're something else, Kitty," she smiled, burrowing into his side. As they lapsed into silence, Adrien felt his nervousness return. He fingered his Miraculous again inside his pocket.

"What are you waiting for, kid?" Plagg whispered from inside the hood of his jacket. "Get a move on, will ya?"

"Not yet, Plagg!" he hissed quietly so that the gondolier wouldn't hear him. Marinette gave him a look, but didn't comment. He was grateful for that.

* * *

Their boat tour ended in front of the Rialto Bridge. Adrien thanked the gondolier, leading Marinette up to the very middle of the bridge so they could look out over the water. The sun was beginning to set, and the lights from the street lamps shone on the water.

"It's beautiful," she whispered, watching as the ripples reflected the light every whichaway, making the scene look like a master artist's painting.

"Yeah, it is," Adrien replied. The city was beautiful, but he only had eyes for Marinette. He wrapped his arms around her from behind as she shivered, setting his chin comfortably in the crook of her neck. Snow was beginning to fall again as they stood there, gazing out into the evening.

"You hear about Lila?" he asked finally, breaking the silence that stretched between them. Lila had been sentenced officially only the week before. It had taken a long time for the courts to know what to do with her, and she had had to wait to be tried until after Hawkmoth and Nathalie, as she'd been involved in both of the elder villains' schemes. She had done her best to spin some giant web of lies, but a tip-off from an anonymous source (aka. Adrien Agreste) requested she be questioned using a lie detector. After that, the web unraveled quickly. Lila was sentenced to two years in prison for her short stint as Papillon and a given a court order to have absolutely nothing to do with Marinette, as half of her trial consisted of Lila raving about how Marinette, as Ladybug, was behind the whole thing and how Lila, herself, was actually framed. The court ruled that she had some sort of unhealthy obsession with the raven-haired young lady, and issued a restraining order.

Marinette nodded. "Yeah I did," she sighed, looking relieved. Adrien was looking upset.

"She should have gotten longer for what she did to you," he growled. Marinette shivered again as a cold gust of wind swept past.

"I'm just glad she was convicted," she said. "With her track record, I was sure she was going to talk her way out of it and walk free. If she hadn't completely lost it, I'm sure she probably would have been able to." Adrien noticed his girlfriend's teeth were chattering now. He rubbed his hands along her upper arms in an attempt to warm her.

"Maybe we should go inside and warm up," he suggested. "And get something to eat. You up for that?" Marinette nodded, to which he took her hand, steering her off the bridge and into the nearest restaurant. They found the restaurant they'd entered specialized in seafood, and they had a lot of fun looking through the menu at all the interesting dishes.

Adrien seemed to think of something suddenly. "Hey Mari, do you think the grimoire has any recipes that change a kwami's favorite food?" He made a face. "Plagg hid a wheel of Camembert inside my suitcase; I found it when we were unpacking. Now all my stuff smells like stinky old cheese," he complained.

Marinette smiled. "Poor Kitty," she teased. The grimoire, while extremely useful, did not, that she was aware of, have that capability. Her father had rescued it after the fire, and she and Adrien had spent time studying it with the Lucky Charm code they'd gotten during the battle with Scarlet Papillon, and were slowly unraveling the secrets within. They'd learned the potion recipe Lila used to level herself up enough to control the frozen akumas, among other things, but hadn't yet found anything that would explain how or why Mari's powers had disappeared. They were still proceeding under the assumption that that incident had been a soulmate thing.

She noticed that Adrien was still somewhat subdued. He hadn't made any puns for most of the afternoon, and she was starting to get worried.

"Alright, Kitty. Spill. What's going on?" she asked finally, once the food was set in front of them. He looked up at her in shock, but tried to quickly smooth his expression.

"Wh-what do you mean?" he asked not-so-innocently. She rolled her eyes at him.

"I mean, what's going on? You're acting weird, and I want to know why," she said, looking him straight in the eye. He saw a thought flicker over her face, and he answered it before she could even ask.

"No, Mari, you didn't do anything wrong," he reassured her, gently taking her hand. "I just…I'm still a little jittery from the airplane. That's all." Her raised eyebrow told him she didn't buy it, but she let it go as he continued. "You have to stop blaming yourself for things, Mari! You know, that's probably what made your powers disappear in the first place," he said half-seriously, rolling his eyes.

A squeak from Marinette's purse startled them. "Marinette! What if he's right?" Tikki squealed softly. "You blamed yourself for Chat's disappearance, the peasant girl blamed herself for the knight's betrayal, and I'll bet anything the Roman boy blamed himself for his Ladybug's death! You lost confidence in you when you blamed yourself, and your powers diminished as a result!"

Marinette's jaw dropped. "You're right!" She caught Adrien's hand in her own and kissed it. "Adrien, you're a genius! You know that, right?" The young man himself looked startled, but pleased.

"Glad to be of service, Milady."

He made a better effort to be upbeat for the rest of the meal, but he found he was too nervous to eat much. His stomach was churning unhappily, and as they stood to leave, he began twisting his ring again.

They walked down the cobblestone streets on the side of the Canal in the direction of the hotel, hand in hand. Marinette chattered happily at things she had noticed as they had explored, but Adrien was too nervous to listen. As a beautiful basilica came into sight, Adrien made his move, pulling Mari into an alleyway. She looked up at him in confusion.

"Adrien what-?"

"Plagg, claws out!" he said firmly, scooping up his Lady and whisking her off onto the roof of the basilica, careful not to be spotted. Nobody could know Chat was in Italy, after all. Taking care that they couldn't be seen, he released his transformation. Marinette was staring up at him, and he had to take a deep breath to steady himself.

"Adrien? Are you alright? Are you ill?" Marinette asked, taking his arms and studying his face. He probably looked white as a sheet, he thought off-handedly. He took Marinette in his arms, focusing on the feeling of her body against his, grounding him.

"I'll be alright," he murmured against her hair as he shuffled his hands behind her back. "Just nervous." She looked up at him.

"Why? It's just us here," she remarked, looking confused. He took her hand in one of his, cupping her jaw with his other hand.

"Mari, I- I love you. So much. You are truly my better half. There's nothing more I could want than to spend the rest of my life with you," he said. He knelt on the ground in front of his partner and best friend, taking a deep breath as he held out his Miraculous ring to her. "Marinette Dupain-Cheng, Milady, my love, will you do me the highest honor you can bestow and consent to become my wife?"

She covered her face with her hands as she let out a surprised squeal. "Yes! Yes, I will marry you!" she cried, launching herself into his arms. He slid the ring onto her finger, then stood. He was about to pull her in for a hug when she took off her earrings, pinning them to his shirt.

"Claws out, " she said softly, a radiant smile lighting up her face.

"Spots on," Adrien gasped, staring thunderstruck at his Lady. He loved seeing her in his suit, he thought happily.

He gathered Marinette to his chest as he embraced her, then kissed her slowly and cautiously, as if for the first time. Electricity shot through them, and they crashed back together in the most passionate kiss they had ever known. Her hands tangled in his golden hair, and his cradled her hips, pulling her closer, as though there was never any way for them to ever be close enough. Her fingers lightly traced the contours of his chest, clearly visible through the spandex fabric, and he shivered, sending waves of sensations through both of their bodies.

When they finally broke apart, they gazed at each other giddily. "S-so…" Mister Bug began, looking a little dazed, "When do you want to get married, love? We could do a spring wedding," he suggested. "Spring is nice. Or, we could wait and have it be summer while you're not in school. Or-"

"Or we could do it now," Lady Noire threw in. Mister Bug stared at her with wide eyes.

"N-now?" he asked. "B-but-"

"Think about it Buga-boy," she smirked. "If we get married now there won't be months of tedious planning, no squabbles with in-laws about what we do and don't want, no worries about the press getting wind of Adrien Agreste's wedding and setting up camp right outside our door for months asking for details…" she giggled as he made a face at this last comment. "And-"

"Kitten," he quipped, "you had me at, 'now'." He gazed around in shock as it sunk in that this was actually happening, trying to get his tortured brain to cooperate. "So…umm…where do we go?"

Lady Noire rolled her eyes. "Cheri, there's like fifteen different basilicas along this one canal alone! We're freaking _standing_ on one."

"Oh. Oh, right," he said dumbly, looking around. Lady Noire sighed.

"Cheri, if you're nervous about this, we don't have to do it now. We can wait-"

"No," he said firmly, his eyes glinting with determination. "We're doing this. Come on!"

He scooped his Lady up again, carrying her carefully down to the cobblestones. They de-transformed handing their Miraculous' back to their correct holders. Marinette sighed as she looked both of them up and down.

"It would have been nice if we could have dressed up a little," she said, indicating the leggings and chunky sweater she was wearing under her winter jacket, as well as his jeans, a leather jacket, and signature orange sneakers.

"Maybe we can help," Tikki piped up from Marinette's bag, Plagg floating over beside her. "Right, Plagg?" the little red kwami nudged the tiny black cat, who was rolling his eyes.

"Yeah, yeah, sure," he said, though Adrien thought he could see a fond smirk turning up the corners of Plagg's mouth.

"Just transform, we'll do the rest," Tikki commanded. "And Plagg, _subtle," _she warned him shooting him a look.

"Fine, fine," Plagg waved her off unconcernedly. Adrien looked at his kwami nervously, hoping he didn't have to find out what Tikki meant by that.

"Alright. Plagg, claws out!" Adrien's clothes turned into a dapper tuxedo, black with a black satin vest underneath. The bow tie at his throat and his pocket square were lime green, and his mask had morphed into a set of black, thick-rimed oval spectacles, leaving his eyes noticeably more human than his usual transformation. His shiny dress shoes reflected the light from the lamps almost as much as the water in the canal, and his golden hair was perfectly styled, a look Adrien liked to call 'messy chic'. Marinette gawked at her gorgeous boyfriend- uh, fiancé.

"Ok, Marinette, your turn!" Tikki called.

"Tikki, spots on!"

Suddenly, Marinette was standing before him, wearing a beautiful white, off-shoulder wedding dress with wrist-length sheer sleeves. The entire thing was covered in delicate lace, and a bold red satin sash was tied around her waist. Her mask, too, had been replaced with oval-shaped glasses, and her dark hair was swept into a fancy knot, speckled with tiny ladybug pins. Her strappy heels were bright red to match her sash. Marinette squealed softly as she took everything in.

"Thank you, Tikki! It's so beautiful!" she whispered, hoping Tikki could hear her from inside the Miraculous.

Adrien stuffed his hands into his pockets, moved almost to tears at the sight of his beautiful bride. All at once, he felt something hard and cold come into contact with his hand. He pulled out two rings, one small and delicate and the other larger and more heavy-looking. They were simple white gold bands, but each was inscribed with a yin-yang symbol. Perfect.

"Thank you, Plagg," he said softly. The kwamis had thought of everything.

"Shall we, Milady?" he asked her, offering Marinette his arm. She happily took it.

"We shall, cheri."

They strode into the ancient building, hoping they could convince someone to perform the ceremony at this late hour. Finally, after they had tracked down a willing officiator who had gathered all the appropriate paperwork, they finally met each other in front of the alter. They decided they would do their own vows.

"Marinette," Adrien began. "I've loved you since before I can remember. You were my partner and best friend in our work, and I cared for you deeply. I wanted to let you know how special you were to me, but the stars never seemed to align. And then one day, everything changed." He paused, seeing tears well up in her eyes. "I couldn't remember you, or me, or anything about my life. But my instinct led me back to you, eventually, and I am so grateful for that. I promise that I will love and cherish you every day for the rest of my life, and make sure that your beautiful sparkle is there to stay. You are everything to me. I see all of you, and I love every piece. And all of me is yours. Forever."

Marinette's eyes were streaming now, and the officiator kindly handed her a clean handkerchief to wipe her face with.

"Thank you," she said to him, sniffling a little, before turning back to her husband-to-be. "A-Adrien," she said, then paused. She giggled a bit. "You know I'm terrible without plans. And that usually works out ok, since you tend to like winging it better. We balance each other." She glanced at him nervously, but when she saw the love shining in his eyes, her shoulders straightened and she fully and completely became Ladybug.

"I have to admit, it wasn't love at first sight for me. In fact, I didn't know how much I cared for you until I thought I'd lost you forever. But when I met you again, I fell for you, and I fell hard. You saw the real me, through all the masks and walls and failures. And I love you for that.

You are the complete opposite to me, my missing puzzle piece. I love everything about you, too- even your _purr_-fectly terrible cat puns," she teased, and he choked out a laugh, his eyes filling with tears as hers had. "I couldn't ask for anything more in a partner. And I promise and swear that I will always stand by you."

Adrien took the rings out of his pocket, holding them in his outstretched palm. He slid one onto her finger, and she took the other to slip onto his.

Their kiss was sweet and tender, filled with so much love and devotion it seemed to simply emanate from them. Suddenly, a wave of familiar power swept through them, and they both gasped as they realized they were radiating light; Marinette pink, and Adrien green, like their transformations. The officiator was not looking at them any differently, so perhaps it was something only the two of them could see.

The officiator insisted on snapping a photo for them, after which they said their thank you's and good-bye's before heading out the doors and vaulting off into the darkness, once again in their normal supersuits. Upon reaching their suite, they stared at each other. The glow surrounding them was now, if anything, even brighter.

"Well, Milady Agreste," Chat purred happily, and Ladybug shivered in delight at the sound of her name as he placed his claws on her hips, pulling her closer, "looks like you're all mine now." Ladybug hummed in response, flicking his nose playfully.

"My, my, eager, aren't we, Chaton?" she teased, placing a feather-light kiss on his jaw bone just beneath his ear. His body quivered at her touch.

"Claws in."

"Spots off."

Their eyes grew wider as they realized the glow was still there, even without the suits.

"I love you, Adrien," she whispered, brushing his golden hair from his eyes. He smiled.

"And I love you, Marinette. More than you'll ever possibly know."

He kissed her tenderly and lovingly, then again, more passionately. His hand cupped her jaw, planting a row of kisses down the side of her neck. The light in the room grew brighter as they drew closer to one another, unveiling the last remaining piece to the puzzle that was their partnership- the culmination of their soulmate bond. The light shifted as they came together, the pink and green swirling into a yin-yang sign, growing brighter until the light became pure white.

The love they felt for each other raged like fire, burning through all their doubts and fears. It soothed like water, healing and nurturing their souls. Like earth, it grounded them, steadied them in their challenges. And finally, allowed them to soar, rising past the mundane to reach new heights. It was totally, completely, and utterly perfect; a delicate balance of opposites; a completeness.

The two of them gazed at each other, bathed in that beautiful light and knew then they saw their partner fully and truly. Every piece and part, every success and failure, every strength and every weakness. They saw the whole of each other, accepted it, loved it. And together, the two of them were one.


End file.
